Can Dogs See Ghosts?

Ocean Path Trail

Many pet owners agree dogs seem to sense impending danger. There are numerous accounts of how pets have warned their masters and saved them from harm.

There is an interesting discussion on the American Kennel Club site, here as to whether dogs have a “sixth sense.” This article presents compelling evidence that dogs might see things beyond the natural world.

Dogs like most animals use their gut feelings in order to survive. They know something doesn’t feel right and they act upon it quickly unlike their human companions who often stop and analyze situations.

Dogs have sharper senses than humans. Their hearing is keener and they have a wider field of vision. They also see clearer at dawn and dusk.

So can dogs sense or see ghosts? It remains a mystery but their actions often lead their owners to believe they are seeing something unusual, which they themselves cannot see.

The following account was first published in an article on Psychology Today.

 A university professor owned a house high on a bluff that overlooked the ocean. His family pet was a Labrador retriever named Lambda. The professor often took the lab on walks down the various paths that led to the sandy beach.

He would unleash Lambda and watch, as his dog would run ahead to scout out the most interesting vegetation along these trails. Needless to say, Lambda enjoyed these walks immensely with one exception.

If the professor chose the path closest to his home his dog always resisted especially when they reached midpoint along this trail. Lambda would freeze, growl strangely and then whimper. He would stare intently at one bush each time.

The lab would not move past this spot until the professor firmly took his collar and dragged him further down the path. This consistent resistance perplexed the professor until he was told about the body that had been found along this path several years before he moved to the neighborhood.

A student had been found dead in the exact spot where Lambda always froze. It was not known if the death had been an accident or foul play.

The professor felt that this accounted for his dog’s odd behavior. He became convinced that Lambda was seeing this young man’s ghost.