Do Dogs See Ghosts or Paranormal Spirits?

Dog lovers will be the first to agree that their favorite animals are more perceptive than people give them credit for and that dogs can readily sense ghosts or paranormal spirits. Stories abound about dogs that bark at things no one can see or that refuse to enter certain rooms or homes. Of course, we can't know what dogs see, but there is evidence to support that some dogs can sense the presence of supernatural entities better than most people.

  1. Dog Training in the Paranormal Field

    • Paranormal investigators appreciate the ability of dogs to see or sense paranormal spirits or ghosts. According to the Paranormal Investigations Team of Utah (PITU), a dog has anywhere from 125 million to 300 million scent glands, depending on its breed. PITU has a Labrador named The Captain, who takes the place of electronic equipment that is normally used by paranormal investigators.

    Dogs' Extrasensory Perception

    • Author David Klein, known as Dave the Dogman, relates a story about a police officer and his dog who were patrolling a cemetery where there had been grave robbers. The dog suddenly stopped and pointed as he was trained to do if there was an intruder. The officer couldn't see anything. He pulled at the dog's leash, but the dog refused to budge. Then he tried to pick the dog up, but the animal became frantic and would not be held. Klein maintains that the dog saw something paranormal that the officer couldn't see.

    Dogs' Extraordinary Cognition

    • Duke University's Canine Cognition Center studies the remarkable perception of dogs. The center's scientists claim that dogs are "the dominant player in studies of animal cognition." Their studies have shown that dogs have psychological abilities that resemble those of humans. Although they are not studying paranormal perception, the scientists are finding evidence of extraordinary cognition that could indicate an ability to see or sense ghosts.

    Behavioral Evidence of Paranormal Perception

    • Some dog owners have seen their pets display behavior that indicates they are aware of paranormal activity taking place around them. Writer and speaker Bill Knell relates one incident on the website True Ghost Tales. A normally friendly Yorkshire terrier would inexplicably stand outside a certain room in its house and growl at some unseen presence. The dog's behavior wasn't consistent, perhaps suggesting that the presence wasn't always discernible.