What Does Your Dog Dream Mean?

Source: Pexels/Pixabay

The images that appear in our dreams at night are highly individual. They are generated by your unconsciousness, and deal with your unique psyche and life situation. No dream dictionary can tell you what the images in your dream mean, as their significance will be particular to you. However, symbols tap into a deep layer of universal significance. Dreams are filled with archetypal images that speak to our ancient psychological heritage. One such image is the dog.

Dogs pad into our dreams with astonishing regularity. We dream of reunions with beloved childhood pets; but we also experience visitations from salivating, barking hounds of terror, or nightmares in which our puppy cries because we haven’t fed her, or have unaccountably left her locked in a cupboard.

The Symbol of the Dog

When animals enter our dreams, feeling is heightened. Animals connect us with physical sensations—thick fur, wet nose, sharp teeth. They connect us with parts of ourselves we may never have known, have forgotten, or fear, and bring us to a closer connection with our animal instincts.

Dogs, of course, have a special and unique role as humans’ beloved companion animal. When forming your dog associations, you will want to consider:

• The domestication of wolves into dogs: a breeding process that turned a wild creature into a friend and helper of people.
• The instinctual realm of the dog—the dog relies heavily on its nose. It sniffs out what is good and bad in food, friends, and prey.
• The dog as bridge—the dog has wild, instinctual powers we do not have, and yet, they are also the companions of our homes. They link us to wildness in an acceptable, protective manner.
• Dogs and love—many dog owners attest to the very deep love they feel for their dog, and the extent to which it is part of the family. This kind of love is often described as unconditional and without judgment.
• Dog as protector and hero—stories abound in the culture about dogs protecting, rescuing, or sacrificing themselves for their human.
• Fearsome dogs—guard dogs, sniffer dogs, and fighting dogs are also a part of our encounter with the canine.

Dogs in Myth

The dog that appears in your dream is both unique and a member of the large and ancient category of dogs: sacred dogs, wild dogs, domestic dogs, and fantasy dogs. Animals are the great connectors of the personal and the collective, amplifying individual experience with archetypal symbolism.

Archetypal dogs appear across many cultures as guides of the souls of the dead into the underworld. The Ancient Roman author, Apuleius, wrote, “the dog, raising his rough neck, his face alternately black and golden, denoted the messenger going hence and thence between the Higher and Infernal powers."

Important dogs from the realm of myth include:

• Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Greek mythology, who guarded the entrance to hell.
• Garm, who guarded Niflheim, the Norse underworld, and was the “hound of Hel,” the queen of the underworld.
• Zolotl, the dog-headed man from Aztec mythology, who was a guide for the souls of the dead, and also the god of monsters, death, misfortune, and twins.
• Anubis, the dog-headed god of Ancient Egypt, who ruled over mummification and the afterlife.

Abandoned or Wounded Dogs

People commonly dream of dogs that may be wounded, hungry, or abandoned. Such dreams may represent a tender, innocent part of ourselves that we have neglected. Many people have haunting dreams where they find they have left their pet alone at home for months, or have forgotten to feed it. The dream invites us to turn toward this innocent, instinctual aspect with love and compassion.

The Dachshund in the Cupboard

I moved into a new apartment. A friend and I had been living together and now I was on my own. My friend was having some conflict in her relationship, she had told her partner something they didn't know yet about another friend and her partner became angry at this, or at her for saying it. Now I was in this new apartment, living alone, thinking about getting more phone chargers and where I would store them. Suddenly I heard squeaking and barking. I opened a cupboard and found my dog there. He was a very small dachshund. I had left him in there all day while I was at work, in this tiny cupboard. I must have put him in there while moving and forgotten. I forgot all about him, I forgot I even had a dog. I was so ashamed of this. Once I opened the cupboard I held him close to me, and we were both so glad I was there. He was so shaken—he could talk and said “the phone kept notifying me: ‘left dad at apartment.’” I was "dad," the dog was calling me "dad." My phone was in the cupboard with him, sending him these notifications about us being separated. He was probably barking all day not knowing where I was.

Dreaming Essential Reads

Two Dreams, Same Conversation

Do Aphantasics Dream in Images?

This very moving dream is typical of a frequent dog dream type: the abandoned or neglected dog. Such dreams often express a sense of having abandoned a part of oneself. Perhaps we are leading a successful life and chalking up accomplishments, but we have neglected to nurture a connection to that part of ourselves that is loving and full of life, which a beloved pet can so vividly symbolize. The abandoned pet shows up to remind us of our feelings and our need for attachment. In this dream, there is a strong feeling of guilt and shame, but then by holding the dachshund close, the dreamer is able to reunite with a part of herself.

This dreamer, a 31-year-old woman, had recently separated from her partner. Often, after a breakup, we try to harden ourselves and make it alone. We may suppress feelings of loss, grief, and abandonment. In the dream, the little dog represents a vulnerable, sweet part of the dreamer that she is able to comfort.

If a dog finds its way into your dream, consider its personal significance as well as its mythological resonance. Dogs convey the wisdom of the instincts and can point the way toward healing and growth.

A more extended version of this post appeared on dreamwisebook.com.