Dogs’ ability to resist supernatural beings varies based on their upbringing and breed. They have unique traits. Though they’re yin creatures with strong nocturnal activity, they’re not spirits. Their constitution matches the cold energy of ghosts, allowing them to sense and warn of spirits. This is similar to critically ill patients near death, existing in a vague realm between yin and yang, so ghosts don’t fear dogs.
However, once dogs understand human nature, they might start fearing ghosts. The belief in “dog blood as a talisman” comes from a different reason. Historically, dogs often ate human waste, rich in impurities and human yang energy. While alive, the impurities in dogs were suppressed by human yang energy. But when a dog dies, the yang energy dissipates, and the accumulated impurities are released, threatening evil spirits, especially demons. This is why dog blood was thought to ward off evil. Nowadays, most dogs eat dog food, reducing impurities and weakening the effect of dog blood, which might be fortunate for dogs.
That said, it’s not accurate to say dogs can’t fight ghosts. The key is the breed. As the saying
goes, deities and ghosts fear wicked people, and wicked people fear fierce dogs. Breeds like mastiffs and German shepherds emit a strong, aggressive aura that even deities avoid, let alone ghosts. The three-headed hellhound is based on the mastiff, which is extremely fierce and prone to hurting people. When raising such dogs, it’s best to choose remote areas.
In reality, when raising a dog to guard your home, the bond is more important than size or breed. The greatest virtue of dogs is their loyalty. They’re one of the few animals willing to lay down their lives for their owners. Besides their excellent warning abilities, dogs can also touch ghosts, a little-known characteristic. The story of “a dog biting Lu Dongbin,” often seen as a folk tale, actually has its origins in early Yuan dynasty Taoist practitioners, hinting at a deeper meaning. Lu Dongbin, an immortal with only a refined soul left, could be touched by dogs due to their special constitution when they focus. Of course, ghosts can also harm dogs, and the outcome depends on the balance of power.