# Dogs look at me and bark, "I see dead people" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 18, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425 "2005-05-18T16:11:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/1 "2005-05-18T16:11:20Z")
Well, not literally. But today during my morning crossing guard shift there were several local residents walking their dog. _Every_ single dog that walked passed me freaked out. Kind of jumped and gave a startled ‘woof!’ then would bark really loudly at me, look at their owner, whine, bark, rinse, repeat. Like there was something _wrong_ with me on some level only dogs could detect. I was wearing my crossing guard uniform, but previously the outfit never scared dogs. The only thing I can think of is that I was wearing sunglasses. Maybe the dogs were alarmed, thinking, “That man has no eyeballs! just empty sockets! This must be dangerous! I better warn my buddy!” ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/2 "2005-05-18T16:12:47Z")
Are you a terminator? Because dogs can sense terminators. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/3 "2005-05-18T17:34:52Z")
New shampoo? ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/4 "2005-05-18T17:45:34Z")
OK, this may sound weird, but were you wearing a hat? Becausemy dog _freaks_ at people in funny hats. Either that or … perhaps animals CAN sense evil… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/5 "2005-05-18T17:50:40Z")
Are you SURE you’re not dead? ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/6 "2005-05-18T17:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Every single dog that walked passed me freaked out. Kind of jumped and gave a startled ‘woof!’ then would bark really loudly at me, look at their owner, whine, bark, rinse, repeat. It’s cloudy/rainy there today, isn’t it? Is there a manhole cover or metal plate of some kind in the street by any chance? If so, I would bet money that the cover is electrified and the dogs are getting shocked as they step on it. It has happened here in Boston many times in the past couple of years, with several dogs being killed. Many just get shocked, and they act just like the dogs you are seeing are acting. It doesn’t affect people because they have shoes on. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/7 "2005-05-18T18:02:34Z")
I can not believe all the off the wall gueses people are coming up with. :mad: Geeeez! Am I the only one in this room who is noticing we are speaking to an [**incubus**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubus_(demon)) , for crying out loud? Of course dogs are barking at him! ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/8 "2005-05-18T19:18:29Z")
Actually I was wearing a hat…that might have been it. Kinda funny seeing a dog big enough to bite me in half take one look at me and become absolutely terrified 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/9 "2005-05-18T20:02:01Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > The only thing I can think of is that I was wearing sunglasses. Maybe the dogs were alarmed, thinking, “That man has no eyeballs! just empty sockets! This must be dangerous! I better warn my buddy!” I’ll go along with that. Our Husky mix got along with my sister’s boyfriend just fine until the guy showed up one day sporting a pair of sunglasses. We had the carpet cleaned the next day. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/10 "2005-05-18T20:12:11Z")
Perhaps someone should dig up the “What to do when facing a vicious dog” thread and add that putting on a funny hat and sunglasses might be the best way to avoid a mauling 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/11 "2005-05-18T20:25:50Z")
So, crossing guard you say. Any sort of uniform associated with this? Something similar to what a mailman or a meter reader might wear? Mailmen usually wear hats too. What my dog thinks of mailman: GD STRANGER comes in MY yard every day like he owns the place! Never comes over where I can smell him, and Dad never said he was OK. Oh, and my dog can’t tell a postal service uniform from an US Air Force dress uniform. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogs-look-at-me-and-bark-i-see-dead-people/304425/12 "2005-05-18T22:14:10Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > Are you SURE you’re not dead? Well, shit. Now you’ve got _me_ wondering!