We spend up to a third of our lives asleep, which is a lot, right? So it follows that we dream a lot too. But what do these dreams mean? Well, that’s the big question. We have evidence that for thousands of years, humans have closely studied the content of their dreams. So much so that the interpretation of dreams is even associated with some forms of psychotherapy.
In fact, the grandfather of psychology himself, Sigmund Freud, argued that the imagery and events in a dream symbolize the dreamer’s unconscious desires in his pioneering book The Interpretation of Dreams. Freud asserted that dreams disguise latent desires that the dreamer may not want to express openly. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, on the other hand, argued that dreams aren’t a method of disguising our desires but rather a way of communicating them. That’s right—even the experts disagree.
Despite dream interpretation’s connection to psychotherapy, it still remains an art, not a science. To get at the meaning of your dream, you can try analyzing the random imagery, characters, and narrative of your dreams. A dream journal is a big help with this. Simply record your dream as soon as you wake up in as much detail as you can. Identify how you felt; consider all the elements of your dream (sights, smells, sounds, people, emotions, etc.) and then note which were strongest or most recurrent. This action might give you an idea or the meaning, or you might want to consult a dream dictionary for more detail on symbolism. You can then ~join the dots~ from your dream to what is going on in your actual daily life. You never know, it might yield some fascinating messages or insights about how you truly feel about something.
If you’ve been dreaming about dogs recently, you might be worried about what this means for your furbaby…or you might be hoping it means a new pup is about to come into your life. I don’t follow any one particular school of thought when it comes to dream meanings, so this is simply a ~smorgasbord~ of interpretations of dreams about dogs. Take your pick!
Why do I dream about dogs?
Dogs are a common, noticeable, and visible part of many people’s everyday lives. They are basically everywhere and we’re attuned to their presence because, typically, humans love dogs! Most of us have some experience, indirect or direct, with these floofs, so dreaming about them is pretty typical. To understand the meaning of a dream about dogs, we have to look at what traits we associate with dogs. Generally, there are three undercurrent themes in play when you dream about dogs: friendship, loyalty, and protection.
What does it mean if I dream about a dog?
So dogs in dreams tend to point to some unresolved or significant drama around friendship, loyalty, or protection (because these are traits we typically associate with dogs themselves—yes, dream analysis can get very literal). Dogs may also represent human relationships in our lives.
If you dream about a dog, you might feel that you need to protect someone or be protected from them. You might feel that your loyalties are under strain or that you’re eager to build up new friendships and bonds.
What does it mean if I dream about my childhood pet dog?
If the dog in your dream is your pet, then it could point to a current relationship issue or situation that’s on your mind. If you’re dreaming of a deceased childhood pet, then consider the time in your life when you had it. It may be there is something else from that period of time that you’re missing. Some think that the presence of a deceased pet may be a message to their owners that they’re okay and that the owners will be okay too.
What does it mean if I dream about my current pet dog?
If you dream about your current pet, it could indicate you are subconsciously adopting some typical pet behaviors, like seeking affection or praise, or fixating on a person you believe can reward or “feed” you. Consider the traits of your pet and whether any of them are familiar when you think about yourself.
What does it mean if I dream about a dog dying?
More often than not, a dream about a dog dying will involve a childhood pet, creating an intense emotional sadness. This dream can be triggered by stressors in your present life, like a strain on an important relationship or a breakup. Your pet shows up to remind you that you’re loved, everything passes, and you’ve got allies on the other side. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Dreaming of the death of an unfamiliar dog could point to the loss of something important to you, like a relationship or an ideal. Remember that although it’s often sad when things come to an end, you’re about to reenter a cycle of growth. New beginnings are exciting too!
What does it mean if I dream about a dog chasing me?
Being chased is stressful, scary, and unpleasant. Whenever you experience an anxiety dream like this, it’s often related to an unresolved or unacknowledged stress in your life. You might not even know what it is, but your subconscious knows ALL about it…and thinks you should face it.
Maybe you’re reluctant to face a life-changing decision about a key relationship, maybe you’re shirking a responsibility, maybe you’re suppressing your true feelings for someone, or maybe you’re secretly dreading the future. Reflect on whatever you’re NOT acknowledging, identify it, and promise to take a proper look at it!
What does it mean if I dream about a dog biting or attacking me?
A dream about an aggressive dog can indicate that you feel overwhelmed by pressure or have an urge to escape a situation you’re in. Perhaps a friendship has turned toxic, a relationship is suffocating you, or a role has become too much. Whatever you feel trapped by, your subconscious is trying to draw attention to it in this dream.
What does it mean if I dream about a dog getting hurt?
If you dream of an injured dog, you are likely dealing with someone close to you who is sick, in pain, struggling to cope, or just generally going through something tough. Injured dogs activate sympathy and compassion, and this is the emotional root cause of this dream’s presence.
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Kerry Ward has been reading, teaching and creating tarot decks, books, and content for over 25 years, and is a horoscope contributor for Cosmopolitan UK and Cosmopolitan US. You can book a personal, written tarot reading with her, which comes as a beautifully illustrated brochure. She is also the published author of Power Purpose Practice, Card of the Day Tarot and Cardless Tarot. She also created the Good Karma, Crystal Magic, and Taroscopes tarot decks. She likes to self-publish unique journals in her spare time, such as The Guided Magic Manifesting Journal and the latest Haunted House Journal. She is a Gemini, so writing is her favourite thing!
Follow her on Instagram h for weekly forecasts, insights, and tarot teachings, or find her on LinkedIn.
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