Man’s best friend can also be his worst nightmare.… Most of us love dogs. They make great pets, as they can be playful, affectionate, and truly loyal companions. But when you remember that they are descended from wolves, you can’t help recognizing that, somewhere deep inside, even the most precious puppy retains a bit of the wild animal, a bit of the predator. And it is this aspect that makes dogs such a popular subject in horror literature. As we just passed from the Year of the Rooster to the Year of the Dog on Friday, according to the Chinese zodiac, I figured this would be an especially appropriate time to celebrate the creepiest canines in horror.
- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (1902)
What’s scarier than a big, dangerous dog? A big, dangerous DEMON dog, of course! And that’s exactly what may be haunting the moors in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle’s third novel to feature his iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes. In this story, Sherlock and Watson are invited to investigate the death of the patriarch of Baskervilles Hall, an estate that is said to be cursed—According to legend, a giant spectral hound has tormented the family ever since a distant ancestor made a deal with the devil. Now the owner of the estate appears to have been frightened to death, and the only clues on the scene are the footprints of a large dog. Is there really a hellish hound on the loose, or can Sherlock discover a more rational explanation?
- Cujo by Stephen King (1981)
A dog doesn’t need to be supernatural in origin to be terrifying, as Stephen King shows in one of his most popular early novels, Cujo. Even a regular old mortal dog, like your neighbor’s friendly pet, can turn monstrous in an instant if infected with that dreaded disease, rabies. This is what happens to Cujo, a large St. Bernard who for years has been the beloved companion of young Brett Camber. However, after being bitten by a bat one day, Cujo begins to change. Now violent and unpredictable, Cujo easily takes down two grown men. A mother and child are trapped in their car for days, slowly dying of heat and dehydration while the beast lurks just outside. This is a hard book to read for dog-lovers, but the realistic threat is what makes the story so thrilling.
- Hide and Seek by Jack Ketchum (1984)
Rabies isn’t the only thing that can turn a dog into a monster. Even the most obedient of canine companions can become a killing machine if in the wrong hands.… Hide and Seek is the second novel by the late, great splatterpunk author Jack Ketchum. The story follows Dan Thomas, a young man still living in his boring hometown where nothing ever happens. Nothing, that is, until college girl Casey and her band of wild friends visit for some summertime adventures. They get up to all kinds of mischief—shoplifting and skinny-dipping, oh my!—but one day Casey suggests that they play a new game: hide and seek in the old abandoned house. The home is said to be haunted by the crazy brother and sister who used to live there, but Casey and Dan scoff at the idea of ghosts. Unfortunately for them, the inhabitants of the house are very much alive, and one of them packs a pretty powerful bite. Personally, I found the end of this story a bit underwhelming, as I had been expecting it to go in a different direction. But if you’re into dog horror, then this one is not to be missed!
Are you scared of dogs? What are your favorite puppers in horror literature? Let me know in the comments!