The Black Dog of West Peak

Connecticut Folklore

Everyone has something or someone in their lives that they can justifiably associate with bad luck. Whether it makes sense or not, most of us have our superstitions. However, it is doubtful that any of you have heard of a dog from Connecticut folklore that can bring about as much misfortune as the Black Dog of West Peak in Meriden, Connecticut.
Meriden is near the center of the state and is in some fairly hilly country, with one of the higher ones named West Peak.

Perhaps a thousand feet high, West Peak is home to one heckuva scary legend. It concerns a small, black spaniel type dog that people have been seeing around- for over a hundred years! This nameless canine is special in that he does not leave paw prints in the snow and when the little guy throws his head back and howls no sound comes out. The locals swear they have been seeing this dog for decades, but it is what happens if you see him too often that makes this interesting. The saying goes like this,” You see him once for joy, twice for sorrow, and the third time you will die.”

To illustrate the power of this ghostly “man’s best friend” I have to relate the tale of W.C. Pyncheon, a New York geologist who visited West Peak in the early 1900s. West Peak itself is a geologist’s dream, with outcroppings of minerals so numerous that they could keep a rock hound busy for a long time. Pyncheon ventured here and spent the day on the small mountain gathering rocks. It was mid-morning when he noticed he was being followed by a black dog. The animal kept its distance but stayed within sight. He looked to be friendly but never came too near, despite Pyncheon’s efforts to coax him closer. The man was happy to have a companion and thoroughly enjoyed his day on West Peak. But at the end of the day, the dog disappeared into the bushes.