The Headless Dog of Londonderry

I grew up in a very small community called Londonderry in Nova Scotia. In a place like that you know everything about the people who lived there, all their family members, where they worked, what vehicles they drove, what church they attended, who they voted for and how many animals they owned. 

Of course you had the normal everyday gossip but I preferred to listen to the older folks who always seemed to have amazing stories.

One of my favorite ghost stories was that of the "Headless Dog", first shared by Mrs.Tinney. 

She related that in the day of horse and wagon there was a man who never left home without his trusty dog.One night he must have been in a rush as he was whipping his horse on the old gravel road that takes you to Folly Lake. The old Londonderry bridge back then was only one lane and just before he reached it he lost control of the wagon.

Sadly since he had been traveling so fast the wagon tipped rolling several times killing both the man and his dog. Rumor had it that a wheel had rolled over the dog's throat which severed its head completely, hence the "headless dog".

Mrs. Tinney told how she was out walking alone one night down that road when suddenly a dog appeared beside her. For a brief moment she was startled but just as she began to relax the dog looked up at her and what she saw would stay with her for the rest of her life. 

She said the eyes on that dog were spinning like a child's toy top. It was the most disturbing thing she had ever witnessed in her life. Screaming she made her way home and even though she lived to a ripe old age she would never travel that road again after dark.

It was Christmas night 1968, I was fourteen years old and had just come from visiting my friend who happened to live a little further up the same road Mrs. Tinney had her scary experience. Of course that was not on my mind as I had walked this road hundreds of times over the years. I was anxious to return home and go through my Christmas gifts again. It was a beautiful moonlit evening and I was quite enjoying my walk when I felt something rubbing against my leg. 

Surprised I looked down to see a dog I didn't recognize but I knew somehow it was a purebred and not a mutt most people owned. Since I was sure my mom would not be pleased if I let a dog follow me home I bent down and picked up a snowball. In that brief second the dog disappeared, I turned in a complete circle and there was nothing. Looking down to see if I could see it's paw prints to see what direction it went there were none to be found. I could easily see my footprints as there was at least an inch of new fallen snow on the road. Dumbfounded I continued home and told my mother of this mysterious dog but she was busy and not really interested in my story. 

A couple of months later my younger sister was doing a book report for school. I had no idea she had visited Mrs. Tinney and was writing about the "headless dog". She asked me to listen to her report to make sure it was good enough to pass in. 

As she began I wasn't too interested but she began describing what the dog looked like was exactly what I had seen! A white short dog, big head, and three black spots on its back. Like me, Mrs. Tinney could not say what breed it was as she had never seen one like it. Also she never saw it again and neither had I although I had asked everyone if someone had gotten a new pet. Reading that report left no doubt I had seen the very thing my neighbor had witnessed over fifty years ago!

Years later I was curious enough to do a search on dog breeds to see if I would recognize the one I saw. Turning the pages I wasn't even sure what I was looking for and then there it was...a BULL TERRIER. It was the first time I had seen one since I was fourteen and I have never to this day seen another dead or alive.... I don't know why that dog appeared to me so long ago but one thing I'm very grateful for is I never looked into its eyes! 

The names are real and nobody I've ever talked to has known anyone owning a bull terrier, certainly not in Londonderry, Great Village, Folly Lake or Wentworth. 

Sherry L.

The paranormal world can very fascinating! If you are from Nova Scotia, and have experienced something paranormal, or a event that happened to someone you know, we would love to share your story!