Black Dog

[BadgerClaw]

A couple years ago I was driving home with my mom from a trip to the store. Around the back of my apartment complex is this marshy hunting area that half encircles a church just up the road and the town houses surrounding my own townhouse. The church is not even a 3 minute walk up the road. This marsh partially touches the church parking lot and that is where I saw a large black dog. I looked at it and being the excitable dog lover I am, I urged my mom to look over at the dog but when we turned around the dog in the marsh was gone. That was when I felt an immense wave of terror. I wasn't scared or worried and there was really nothing to spur this feeling on, I was just all of a sudden terrified. My mom was confused and all I could say is that I swear there was a black dog there. The feeling of terror didn't go away until I awoke the next day after hardly what I could call a good sleep.
The next day I did some research about black dogs, black shucks, hell hounds, and dog-phantoms while I waited for my girlfriend to show up since I invited her over that day. After ushering her in she was confused when I urged her not to take off her jacket and shoes because we were going on a little marsh adventure. We took the short walk up to the church and crossed the parking lot and that is when a smell that I could only describe as salty and rank hit me. My girlfriend and I remarked how awful the smell was and kept going until we reached the edge of the marsh. That is when we noticed a blackened circle of ground-cover right where I saw the dog standing the day before. The salty smell emanated from that spot. My girlfriend and I could hardly believe it.
Two and a half years later and only a month ago, I witnessed this dog again just outside a superstore lot and the feeling of dread came back. I did not go to investigate that spot this time out of fear because during this sighting I noticed the dog has glowing, white, eyes. I do not know what to think of this dog or what it means. Many sources I have read state that a ghostly black dog is an omen of death. Especially a dog that smells of brimstone. If I were to describe the dog with a breed it would be a cross between a great Pyrenees and a Mastiff but with a black coat. It looks about two and a half feet at the shoulder and 5 and a half feet long. I'm wondering what others think of this encounter. I would love insight.

--sorry for the long post, BadgerClaw

[Fae]

Hi BadgerClaw,

This seems like a terrifying experience regardless. In a more mundane group of people, you would probably be advised to stop watching certain tv shows, relax, and that you have an overactive imagination.

Which you may still hear, because those are perfectly possible explanations. Without knowing more about you personally; your life, beliefs, culture, upbringing, etc. I firmly believe that no one here can tell you exactly what you did or didn't see. Did someone you know die or have something horrible happen after the first encounter? Was there some big global disaster? Alternately, did something good perhaps happen?

I can say had it been me, I'd probably seek the guidance of my deities. I would also try to go back to both spots I saw it and see if I felt anything more or came across any additional insight. Has anything in your research rang true to you, it felt like it just made sense?

There are many explanations, mostly dependant on your personal beliefs. If you're new to the path of witchcraft, maybe you're seeing your animal guide. Perhaps this is the spirit of a beloved pet, maybe of your mom's before you were born, and he's just watching out for you. It could also be a sign or omen of some kind. I can't believe I'm saying this, but in Harry potter everyone freaks out about the grim, thinking it means something horrible, when in reality it was someone watching out for him.

Follow your intuition, it will generally steer you in the right direction. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, and I hope everything works out for you.