Call of the Cryptid: ‘The Dogman Triangle’ movie review

Directed by Seth Breedlove for Small Town Monsters, The Dogman Triangle is a documentary that examines werewolf lore in Texas.

Cryptids have long captivated the human imagination, invoking both awe and fear. Among the most perplexing and chilling creatures to emerge from the world of cryptozoology is the Dogman (a legend sometimes also associated with Michigan (my state, so, of course, I’ll mention it), among so many other regions of the world). With varying descriptions and a growing body of eyewitness accounts, the Dogman has become the subject of intense fascination for enthusiasts and researchers alike.

Here’s a History Channel snippet of a Bigfoot enthusiast claiming to have filmed a “dog-headed man” (I hate to say it, but the figure looks pretty blurry to me, as usual with such images).

‘The Dogman Triangle’ and the rise of Dogman enthusiasts: The Beast of Bray Road and sensational headlines

In this exploratory article and review of The Dogman Triangle, we delve into the intriguing world of the Dogman, examining notable encounters and shedding light on the ongoing mysteries surrounding this cryptid. Renowned director Seth Breedlove, along with cryptozoology enthusiasts Aaron Deese, Shannon Legro, Ken Gerhard, Lyle Blackburn, and Nick Redfern, dedicated their time and efforts to studying and documenting cryptids, as shown in the film. While author Nick Redfern’s interests initially lay with the Loch Ness Monster story, he has expanded his scope to include the enigmatic Dogman (and potentially other cryptids).

One of the most famous Dogman legends mentioned is that of the Beast of Bray Road. This mysterious creature, reported to resemble a canine-like animal with distinct eyes and menacing teeth, has sparked countless debates and investigations. However, it is important to acknowledge that misidentification of known animals, mass hysteria, and hoaxes are also prevalent factors when considering such phenomena.

Also, as we should have learned through history’s actual witch trials (and also by courtroom proceedings generally), witness testimony does not always reliably prove something, even if the witness is not engaged in deceit.

Sensational headlines often perpetuate the intrigue surrounding cryptids, attracting attention and fueling curiosity, prompting academics to occasionally create articles like “The Cryptid Tourist Gaze: Cryptid Tourism and the Performance of MonsterHunting.” In The Dogman Triangle, an anonymous witness shares a harrowing encounter with a Dogman. Describing the creature’s canine features, eerie eyes, and large, bloody teeth, the witness paints a chilling picture. However, it is crucial to approach such accounts with skepticism while remaining open to the possibility of unexplained phenomena.

Additional Dogman sightings, A Native American perspective, and unexplained puncture wounds{?)

Unlike demons, gods, or “haunted houses,” things like cryptid and “alien” encounters aren’t necessarily supernatural, which is why some of these tales seem easier to investigate. At the same time, plenty of the stories are indeed just anecdotes or legends, which means they can become more about faith or bias. The Beast of Bear Creek and the Bear King of Marble Falls are two examples of localized legends involving bear-like monsters explored in Breedlove’s documentary, with harrowing accounts of werewolf or bear-like creatures carrying people off (typically female humans) or killing livestock. These tales sometimes intertwine with reports of the Converse Werewolf near San Antonio, where a young boy allegedly witnessed a werewolf-like creature while on a hunting trip to Skull Crossing (and what a lovely and fitting name!).

Unfortunately, no official documentation exists regarding the incident and no werewolf has been reached for comment. Nick Losoya, a Native American with a keen interest in Dogman lore, raises questions about the mysterious killings attributed to mountain lions and Dogmen. Mentioning helicopters and people missing with unexplained puncture wounds, Losoya’s account adds an intriguing dimension to the phenomenon, almost making it sound like a government-related conspiracy. However, it’s important to approach such claims with caution, as substantiating evidence and ways to test (and prove) claims may be lacking.

Dogman descriptions ranging from hyenas to mange-afflicted bears, ancient stones, and mysterious connections

Descriptions of the Dogman vary significantly. Some witnesses, like Dawn Lucker, recount encounters with creatures possessing glowing orange eyes, while Michael Lucker describes a large hyena-like creature with broad shoulders. Though witnesses often don’t seem to be working from a “script” (so to speak), it makes stories seem less plausible if descriptions are so varied and, of course, no bones of the cryptids are ever discovered anywhere.

It is worth noting that The Dogman Triangle details how bears afflicted with mange can lose hair, resulting in a resemblance to werewolf-like beings. In fact, Mark Cunningham, a veterinarian with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (not interviewed in the documentary), stated in an article that a bald bear can “look like a large, bald rat…I show pictures to people who don’t even recognize they are bears.” This biological explanation can potentially account for certain sightings, and I give credit to The Dogman Triangle for mentioning this as a plausible explanation for some sightings.

The association between ancient stones and the Dogman adds an element of mysticism to the phenomenon, too. Claims of ancient artifacts or rituals being connected to these cryptids spark curiosity, but more research is required to determine any potential links.

Audio recordings and blurry images aplenty

Tex Wesson, traumatized by a sighting while rabbit hunting, claims to possess audio recordings purported to belong to a Dogman. You can listen to it in the documentary and draw your own conclusions. While intriguing, audio evidence requires careful analysis to differentiate between genuine and manufactured recordings, and audio recordings can sometimes be just as tricky as visual ones to analyze.

Additionally, an ultra-blurry image captured by an individual named “John” adds to the visual anecdotes surrounding Dogman. Though The Dogman Triangle neither proves nor debunks the Dogman, it does suggest that some people need better quality technology to capture the alleged creatures in action, which would finally shut a lot of the skeptics up…right?