Names: Black Dogs, Shadow Beasts, Dog Fiend

Habitat: Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains, eastern panhandle of West Virginia, western Virginia, Tennessee, western North Carolina, northwestern Georgia, northern Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey

Diet: carnivorous; small game such as rabbits, squirrels, and cats

Reproduction: polygynandry; no courtship ritual

Society: solitary; may be accompanied by young

The Snarly Yow is a strange creature－a hybrid of the paranormal and corporeal－that causes pain and fear in its victims without leaving any physical evidence. It is often confused with the Devil Dog and paranormal entities, like specters. Though rarely encountered by humans, the beasts can be found in the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains, eastern panhandle of West Virginia, western Virginia, Tennessee, western North Carolina, northwestern Georgia, northern Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Snarly Yows were first documented in the late 18th century; the creature is believed to have originated from an unnatural union between a dark specter and an English Fox & Coonhound. In the upper Potomac Valley, a German settlement encountered a spectral being that looked and moved like a shadow, but attacked like a wolf; it also sounded like something they had never heard before, with nightly, deep, wet, snarling cries of “YAAR-woo-YOW-AH-woo-AH-yow,” that became its namesake. The creature remained in the region for several months, attacking not only the villagers, but local dogs; all but one of the town’s hounds died, the last mysteriously vanishing.

Unlike Snarly Yows that prowl today, the first only appeared in a shadowy form: completely black except for glowing red eyes and a mangy outline that resembled a dog, though always blurry with movement. Additionally, this Snarly Yow’s attacks were only psychological, feeling real but leaving no physical evidence. The offspring of this paranormal entity were stronger and more versatile than it, having both properties of ethereal and corporeal beings.

Shadow and Fiend Phasing

Snarly Yows can take on two forms: one that resembles a shadow and provides access to paranormal abilities, the other a physical form that permits the creature to carry out actions like a common dog. As it transfers from one form to another, it looks as if it is surfacing from underwater; it takes approximately 15 minutes for this alteration to occur.

While in shadow form, the beast is dark gray or black in appearance with bright, colorless eyes. It is about the size of an average wolf and always slightly blurry like its predecessor. Shadow form’s appearance is much more haunting than its fiend form: the head is a dark, deepsocketed skull with large, hooded ears, wild, mangy hair, a long, bushy tail, spindly, clawed feet, a red, fang-filled mouth, and a visible skeletal system. The shadow moves in a two-dimensional way, seeming to swim on surfaces like a crocodile. Ethereal Snarly Yows most often attack passersby, though their barrages are largely harmless; the animal may bite and scratch, causing the victim to feel the effects of such an attack, but can cause no actual bodily harm while in this form. However, the beasts can have prolonged effects on a victim, such as the development of paranoia or the cause of a heart or panic attack. Similar to some paranormal entities, the hound can change its size (growing immensely large or minute), vanish into thin air, and deliver the same unique, snarling howl. The animal cannot be touched by human hands in this form, or physically injured, though some objects touched by the creature disappear. Tracks are not left behind while the canine is in ethereal form.

A Snarly Yow’s corporeal form looks similar to a large, big-pawed, floppy-eared English Fox & Coonhound, but with dark blue (or in rare instances gray or white) fur, wrinkly, sagging skin, bright red flews and lips, and a form that seems to waver slightly like fog. While in fiend form, the creature hunts small game (such as rabbits, squirrels, cats), sleeps, mates, and births a litter. Reproduction occurs once per year, with mates called by metallic, chirp-like whimpers; puppies are not able to enter shadow form until ten weeks of age, during which the mother finishes weaning the pups and prepares them to live on their own. While corporeal, the beast can cause physical damage, but is less likely to attack (unless threatened or a litter is endangered); in this form, it is also at risk of receiving physical damage and can be killed by silver weaponry. If healthy, mature, and after having eaten a full meal, Snarly Yows can pass through solid objects briefly while corporeal, but this occurs infrequently and is believed to take up a lot of energy. If threatened, the dogs can run up to 30 mph for a prolonged period; when light is shone on the creature’s face, its eyes are a reflective red.

It has been noted that horses can detect Snarly Yows in either phase, appearing nervous－ fidgeting, pacing, pawing, whinnying, and throwing their heads back; those concerned with a Snarly Yow’s presence usually keep horses nearby as an alarm. Additionally, there have been cases of Snarly Yows behaving non-aggressively to humans; a man has even claimed to have once reached down to pet one, feeling a gooey, sickly warmness instead of the familiar sensation of a dog’s fur.

Monsters Made of Shadow: Tales of the Dog-Fiend

1790’s

Local inns in Snarly Yow territory recount stories around the hearth of a ghastly dog that vanishes in and out of air with bright, glowing eyes. It once caused a horse to throw a man off its back, killing him; it also frequently spooked animals in the stables.

American Civil War Era

In Boonsboro, MD, it was said that the shadow of a black dog lurked in the South Mountain Summit. A huntsman famous for his precise aim went after the beast; he shot at it, but the bullet went right through the hound, to no effect. The huntsman fired several more times, but the dog was untouched by his shots. Fearing for his life, the man fled.2 The creature was also reported near Turner’s Gap and Harper’s Ferry at this time.

1880’s

One night around 10 p.m., a man was returning from a shopping trip in Boonsboro when he encountered the “Black Dog.” The night was clear enough that he did not need to travel by lamplight, the starlight revealing not only the rocky, uneven path, but the beast’s horrendous, murky form. It was mostly black and bigger than any canine he had seen before; as he neared, it drew nearer and bristled, as if to guard the road and prevent his passage. The man shouted at the dog and threw rocks, waving a large stick aggressively in the air－but the intimidating dog did not budge. Angered, the man kicked at the animal and tried to beat it, but to the man’s surprise, he only struck the ground. He continued to lunge at it, always missing, his attacks seeming to go through the beast. Eerily, the hound grew larger, stretching around him; it made no sound, but bared a fearsome mouth full of teeth from a red muzzle. Undaunted, the man continued to levy blows upon the animal with rocks and sticks; with its gaping maw, the hound lunged at him, taking him aback and causing him great pain. Standing up quickly, clumsily, the man looked around fearfully, seeing nothing around him; he found no injuries on his body, though he had felt the sting of tooth and claw.

Early 20th century

Locals tell each other stories of a dog that appears in front of cars, causing them to skid to a stop or for drivers to feel as if they have hit an animal. Once the passengers exit the car to assess the situation, the dog reappears as dark, ominous shadow, silently baring its fangs before disappearing.

1960’s

A couple befriended a Snarly Yow through gifts of food. However, when they tried to place a collar and chain around its neck, the dog snapped at them, phased into its shadow form, and fled. It is said that this specific hound still has the chained collar around its neck, alerting others of its presence with a “clink, clink.”

1976

In Frederick County, MD, a couple reported having hit a bluish-black dog with glowing eyes. When they got out of the car to investigate, the creature vanished without a trace. Other motorists in the area reported similar encounters: hitting a dog-like animal that either disappeared or phased through the vehicle, appearing behind the onlookers.

Late 1970’s to Modern Day

Several Harper’s Ferry residents encounter Snarly Yows in their yards; most often, people throw objects at the dogs, which pass through their bodies, eliciting a snarl. Drivers are also frequently stopped along Route 40 (National Road), believing to have run over a dog; when they step out of the vehicle, they stand face to face with a Snarly Yow. Additionally, hikers and horseback riders across the state have stated seeing a “ghost dog.”

An instance of a Snarly Yow mortally wounding someone has never been documented; numerous people have seen the beast and attempted to kill it, but none have been successful