Dreams About Dogs: Dream interpretation could be considered both an art and a science because it is the symbols that one sees that are pieced together to form some form of meaning.
People will dream many things and dreams often times don’t make sense because they are not real happenings but sometimes a reflection of those real happenings.
An example, someone can dream of themselves floating in the air, that isn’t possible in reality although the feeling of floating definitely feels real in the dream.
The Feeling Is Real
In the case of dreams where emotions can be felt, the emotions feel real too even though the events in the dreams aren’t.
The feelings of joy, fear, love, loss, and anguish all feel real to the dreamer which is why the dreamer will wake up sweating because of fear, screaming in terror or smiling in happiness.
Animal Dreams
Animal dreams are a common occurrence for most people and often they symbolize a person’s basic feelings, reactions, and behavior.
Most animal dreams are usually about repressed or overlooked instincts which often reveals the shadow side of someone’s daily life.
Often times they reflect the problems and feelings that you might be keeping hidden not only from the rest of the world but from yourself as well.
Dreams About Dogs
Dog dreams are a common dream theme and many people who experience them always have questions about the dog(s) in their dream and what they mean.
Dream analysis is often subjective which is why we cant count on it 100%. When you read further you will learn about the possible explanations of why dog dreams keep happening for you.
Not Always A Simple Story
Sometimes your dog dreams could be simple and straightforward in their meaning to you, but often times for most people, the dreams hardly tell a simple story.
A dream about yourself relaxing at an exotic location with your pet dog could mean that all is currently well or will be well soon or that you are currently relaxed emotionally.
One thing is clear in such a dream, there is some positive thing about to emerge or already existing in your life. Read more: Dreams of Being Chased by Dogs
However, it is not always like this because sometimes the dream shifts and the images become confusing.
You could be dreaming that you are the dog or that the exotic place turns into your backyard and from there it gets so complicated that you even become less sure of the dream and therefore the possibility of an inaccurate interpretation becomes more likely.
However, it is not unusual to see people from different cultures and backgrounds experiencing similar dog dreams because dreams are no doubt universal experiences that create these images from emotional concepts.
Dog dreams often have meanings based on friendships, loyalty, the people in your life, your personal situation and protection. Read more: 10 Dreams About Brown Dogs
There is rarely that single definite meaning for all dreams about dog images, however, there are those generally accepted meanings both psychological and spiritual about common dog dreams which will further be explained below. First we will begin with the psychological and common interpretation of forms of dog dreams.
A few dog dream scenarios are as follows:
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Dream About A Dog In Your Dream
Having a dog in your dream in the first place would generally mean that you are lonely and need to make more friends and become more sociable.
If you are a loner that loves your own company and your social life is next to nonexistent, then this could be a sign of some form of loneliness in your life. Such a sign should prompt you to be more outgoing.
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Dream About A Happily Barking Dog
A happily barking dog in your dream could be seen as a sign of acceptance into a group which could be social or it could also be a workplace environment.
It could mean that you are doing something positive that is affecting many people whose approval you are getting or already have.
It could also mean acceptance of yourself in your current state which should be anything positive like your exceptional leadership skills.
Acceptance about yourself shouldn’t be confused with being resigned or giving in to a situation, Acceptance involves the positive aspects of your life.
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Dream About An Aggressive Growling Dog Dream
This has the various meaning according to most interpretations which depend on the context of the dream.
It could either mean that someone close to you is being disloyal and backstabbing you, or that you have a great inner conflict with yourself that will eventually affect aspects of your life.
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Dream About Part Of The Pack Dog Dream
Dreaming that you are part of the pack of dogs in your dream could mean that you crave that feeling of belonging to a family. It could also be an indication for you to reach out and get closer to your family than before.
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Dream About Rubbing A Dog’s Belly
This dream could symbolize a trusting relationship that exists in your life that makes you feel secure and content.
It could be any relationship and not necessarily the romantic kind; it could be a deep friendship, family closeness or even a business or professional relationship.
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Dream About Puppy Dogs Dream
If there is a puppy in your dream this could be a symbol of your ability to nurture. Nurturing doesn’t necessarily have to be children, it could be talent or business or a skill.
It is definitely a good sign if you are thinking of creating something new in any aspect of your life and making it grow. It could be children, animals, that community club and so on.
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Dream About A Black Dog
Dreaming of a black dog or a colored one in your dream could mean that there is a shadow aspect existing in a friend.
It could mean that the dark side of a close person in your life is becoming more evident to you and that you are able to clearly see their dark intentions. Read more: Dreams About Black Dogs and White Dogs
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Dream About A Dog House
A dog house in your dreams could be an indication of you being in big trouble and the punishment for your actions being meted out.
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Dream About You Are A Dog Trainer
This dream symbolizes the existence of negative behavior in your life which you need to keep in check by showing more restraint.
If you are going overboard in favor of certain negative pursuits in your life then this dream could be your call to keep yourself in check.
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Dream About An Angrily Barking Dog
This dream can symbolize how irritating you are to those around you in your grumpy or fussy tendency. It could also symbolize your common behavior of barking orders at people when you require something instead of asking kindly.
In general, it symbolizes any unhappy or disgruntled companions whose main cause of their disgruntlement is you.
On the other hand, it could be the reverse; that there are close people in your life who frequently “bark” orders at you.
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Dream About Feeding A Dog
If you are feeding a dog in your dream, this means that you are nurturing an old acquired skill or talent. It could also mean that you need to put more effort and time in building your friendships.
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Dream About A Dog Fight
Witnessing a dogfight in your dream indicates that you are rejecting an aspect of yourself in a desperate manner and that shame is engulfing you.
It could also symbolize a conflict of interest between you and someone close to you. It could be the call to finally step away from such a conflicting situation or deal with it to end it once and for all.
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Dream About A White Dog
This dream shows you the pure and true intentions of a close friend. It shows that you can trust this friend and this dream will come about if you have been thinking a lot about this close friend. Read more: Dreams About White Dogs
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Dream About A dog race
A dog race in your dreams means that you are looking out only for yourself and everything that will work in your favor. It also means that your motivation stems from personal gains and not community goals. In short, you are thinking of no one else but yourself lately in everything that you are doing.
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Dream About Bathing your Dog
If you dream that you are giving a dog a bath, it may indicate your nurturing abilities and your great generosity and loyalty. In real life, it takes a lot of true love for animals for someone to give a dog a bath.
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Dream About A Sick Dog
A sick dog might be a sign of neglected friendship and if the dog is on the verge of death, then it may indicate the loss of a close friend or a dulling of your sharp instincts.
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Dream About The Dog On Your Back
You can dream about a dog on your back that you can’t take off. This could be an indication of someone who is too overbearing or overly dependent on you that you can’t stop them.
If you are having too many dreams of this nature maybe it is time to shake that someone off your back.
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Dream About Chasing Or Beating Your Dog
If you dream that you are chasing or beating your dog, that could mean that you are taking a certain relationship or someone’s loyalty for granted and it is hurting them.
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Dream About The Dog Biting You
When you dream that your dog has bitten you on the leg, this could mean that you might be losing or already lost the ability to balance various aspects of your life.
It could also mean that you might be hesitant when it comes to approaching a new situation or have simply lost the enthusiasm to work towards your goals.
If in the dream the dog bites you on the hand, it could be that someone close to you is being disloyal or that the close someone has wronged you in a big way.
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Dream About Dressing Up The dog
If you are dressing up the dog in your dream this could mean that you might be trying to cover up your flaws and habits with a façade of some sort.
Dogs get dressed in real life and there are even dog shirts on sale but let’s face it, dogs really don’t need clothes.
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Dream About The Dog Wearing A Hat
Such a dream could mean that you are portraying a certain part of your persona on to someone or something else. This could mean that you are not embracing some of your ideas or feelings fully.
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Dream About The Dog Chasing Its Tail
A dog running around in circles chasing its tail in your dream might indicate that you are not handling a certain situation in the right way and are actually losing control. You might be dedicating a lot of your time to labor that is in vain.
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Dream About Slaughtered Dogs
This is definitely not a good one and might indicate a bitter ending of a friendship. It could also mean misplaced trust or betrayal.
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Dream About Dog Eating A Snake
This dream could be an indication that someone close to you is trying to prevent you from making an unwise decision which could hurt you and those you love a lot. Listening to them would be advisable.
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Dream About Two Dogs Licking Each Other
If you see two dogs licking each other in your dream, this might represent mutual understanding in one of your close relationships. In real life, only two dogs that trust each other can lick.
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Dream About Buying Your Dog
Dreaming that you are buying your dog might indicate that you have this habit of using your money to get things to go your way.
It could be buying the loyalty of your friends, buying compliments or favors. It could also indicate the need for you to find some sort of companionship.
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Dream About Running Over Your Dog
Running your dog over in your dream might mean that you might be experiencing doubt in the intentions of those close to you who could be friends or family.
You might also be feeling betrayed when either your friends or family are not supportive of your efforts in a certain situation.
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Dream About Your Dog Is Trying To Rape You
It could either be that you are watching bad movies or read inappropriate content a lot if you dream of this, or it could indicate that someone who you consider a close friend whom you trust with all your heart is trying to take full advantage of you.
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Dream About A Dog With A Human Face
This is also bizarre, but then dreams almost always never make sense. If this happens, it could indicate that you could be questioning someone’s loyalty or their claim of unconditional love.
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Dream About A Two-Headed Dog
A dog that has two heads in your dreams could mean that you are hyper-vigilant when it comes to your surroundings.
It could also mean that you need to be more aware of your surroundings and always look out for any lurking dangers or simply learn more interesting things.
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Dream About The Tied Up dog
When you dream of a tied up dog, this could mean a loss of self-control over your natural instincts.
If the tied up dog in your dream is struggling to get loose, this could also be interpreted as some form of frustration in your life that you desperately want to deal with. You might be held back in some aspect of your life and desperately want to move forward.
Dreaming About Dog Breeds Explained
Dreaming about dogs in certain situations has meanings, but when you dream about certain breeds of dogs other specific meanings emerge.
There are specific meanings that are tied to those breeds of dogs. Some of the breeds of dogs with certain meanings are as follows:
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Dream About German Shepherd
When you dream of German shepherds, it might be an indication of you feeling protective and alert.
In your dream, if you are training a German Shepherd then it is also an indication of your being open to new ideas. It could also show that you can be easily influenced by other people or situations.
On the other hand, if you are dreaming that a German Shepherd is attacking you, that could be an indication of how lax, your guard is. You might need to put your guard back up.
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Dream About Dachshund
If your dream features a Dachshund, that could be an indication of your sobriety and rationality. It could also show how much you give your loyalty and devotion to people or causes.
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Dream About Golden Retriever
Dreaming of a golden retriever is a good sign because this breed of dog is considered the most loyal and friendliest. It could mean that in your life exists a very important close friendship.
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Dream About Bulldog
When you see a bulldog in your dream, it could be an indication of a protective force aiding you in your life’s efforts at making achievements.
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Dream About Chow Chow
If you happen to see a chow chow in your dreams this could mean that you have unwavering loyalty to someone or a cause. It could also be an indication of how overly protective you are.
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Dream About Foo Dog
If you see Foo dogs in your dream that could be an indication that you have a good balance between dominance and nurturance. It could also mean that you should be on guard just in case any danger is lurking nearby.
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Dream About Miniature Poodle
Being a very intelligent but highly strung dog breed, a miniature poodle in your dream could mean that you have an engaging mind that requires stimulation.
You might be bored with your surroundings, your job or the people you interact with on a daily basis because they are not challenging you enough.
It could mean that you need to consider exploring outside your comfort zone and find more interesting opportunities that will pose a challenge in your life.
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Dream About Beagle
A beagle in your dream could indicate a strong devotion to your family and close friends. It could also symbolize your unconditional love and support that your family will always give you no matter what you are up to.
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Dream About Bloodhound
With the great tracking skills of bloodhounds when they are after their prey, seeing a bloodhound in your dreams could mean that you have to put in hard work into whatever you are aiming to achieve.
You will need to believe in yourself more because you have what it takes to achieve success in your endeavor.
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Dream About Chihuahua
This tiny little but very vocal dog breed in your dreams could mean that someone around you is very insecure and constantly requires your attention which you should give.
This dog breed is likely to be barking in order to get your attention in your dream, the same way the person in your life is seeking your attention.
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Dream About Collie
Usually, collies are the work dog breeds that use instinct to bring their charges home. If your dream has a collie in it, that could be an indication that maybe you have lost your way somewhere, or are feeling trapped in a certain situation or relationship.
If the collie is confined in a kennel this could be the ultimate symbol of entrapment but if it is resting peacefully beside you, then that is a sign of contentment and pride in your great achievements.
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Dream About Doberman Pinscher
This breed is known for its protecting skills and if you see it in your dream most likely it symbolizes your own behavior of self-protection.
You could be driving people away from you by showing aggressive behavior just so you could protect yourself from getting hurt or getting too attached and vulnerable.
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Dream About Great Dane
This dog in your dreams means that you could be an easy going person and at the same time strong-willed nature.
Such a dog in your dreams should be your cue not to allow people walk all over you or take advantage of you by manipulating you.
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Dream About Pit Bull
A pit bull can reflect various meanings depending on your own personal view of a pit bull. If you happen to fear pit bulls then an occurrence of these dogs in your dreams could represent a warning about considering changing your current negative ways.
They could also reflect your soft heart on the inside and the tough exterior on the outside. It could be you or someone else close to you with a similar personality.
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Dream About Cocker Spaniel
When you see the lovely little cocker spaniel dog breed in your dream, it is no doubt a symbol of joy and delight in your life.
Often it means the presence of your inner child and emotional immaturity when it comes to certain situations in your life.
Its appearance in your dream might also be a way of helping you recognize your inner child and let them thrive a little by expressing yourself with play and doing all exciting things with child-like interest.
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Dream About Labrador Retriever
This dog breed in your dream represents compassion, loyalty, joy, playfulness and trust.
Labrador retrievers are known to accept their owners unconditionally and will provide that calm and accepting companionship in your life that can help you overcome difficult past experiences. This can be a good sign and lets you know that you or someone close to you possess such lovely attributes.
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Dream About Miniature Schnauzer
This protective and very alert little dog in your dream could mean that you should be extra careful by tuning in to the voices around you.
It could be a warning to protect your heart from getting hurt by setting boundaries and only getting involved with people that you know well and trust.
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Dream About Old English Sheepdog
This breed of dog is known for its charismatic, exuberant and playful nature and also for its love and devotion.
When you see him in your dreams it might be a sign that everything is not all play and that you need to start taking responsibility for all that is taking place in your life.
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Dream About Pug
This is another very comical and playful dog that when it appears in your dreams it could mean that there are changes related to you taking place. New people could be around you and you might meet more new interesting people with fresh ideas.
In short, the presence of this dog could mean that you need to embrace the new changes that will be taking place or are currently in place in your life.
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Dream About Rottweiler
A Rottweiler in your dream is a sign of full protection and that the courage lies within you to enable you to make the right decisions by seeing through the illusions to the real truth.
However, it also means that you can achieve more clarity by courageously confronting the very thing that upsets and worries you.
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Dream About Siberian Husky
The Siberian husky is the breed of dog known for pulling sleds in the cold and snowy regions.
This dog in your dream could mean that you need to make the right choices in your journey by avoiding conflict and obstacles present in your path. It is also a sign that you have the ability to get by any challenge through your intuition.
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Dream About Pomeranian
This loyal dog’s image in your dreams could mean that your dreams will come true at the right time and that there is always a way to achieve them even when all seems to be lost.
However, you will have to make clear choices even as you put hard work towards achieving your dreams.
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Dream About Yorkshire Terrier
This breed of dog is usually full of life and always playful. When you see it in your dream it could mean that it is time to move on without fear as long as you know what you want.
Focus on achieving your goals one by one and take a closer look at all you have to enable you to achieve the success that you want.
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Dream About Boxer
In the dog world, this breed of dog is the comedian thanks to their famous comedic antics that often improves the mood of whoever is watching them.
When this dog shows up in your dream, it could be a sign that you are taking your life too seriously and that you need to relax a little and enjoy life some more.
You will require a lot of humor and wisdom to quell the turmoil within you and make great decisions while relaxed.
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Dream About Shih Tzu
This is the dog breed that is known to bark endlessly and in your dreams, it would probably be barking and barking incessantly. This dog in your dream is a sign that you should think carefully through things before reacting.
You will also need to face the world in a loving, positive and helpful way if you want to be supported. Avoid reacting negatively to things and people around you to avoid feeling miserable. Read more: 6 Dreams About Dead Dogs
Why Do Dog Dreams Occur
When dog dreams occur usually it is because at some point you thought about dogs or have been in some way been exposed to dogs, seen images of them or you are simply experiencing some form of emotional shift.
The way you feel about dogs will also play a huge role in how your dog dream will occur. If you generally love animals and dogs, then your dreams will play out differently than for someone who detests or fears dogs.
Often times dog dreams will keep recurring if you haven’t yet understood something about yourself. The subconscious is usually more aware than you are and will continue relaying the important messages about you through your dog dreams.
Therefore think about the things that you are not expressing in your waking life. You could also pay attention to how you feel after your dog dream ends because that could also reveal a lot about you.
People Who Get Dog Dreams Frequently
People in constant contact with dogs such as dog trainers, or dog owners are prone to getting dog dreams. However, there are also cases of people who are not in constant contact with dogs getting them too.
The subconscious best understands what is required to bring out some thoughts and ideas to light. Often times it is such unexpected places like in the dog dreams that the questions and answers lie.
Dog Dreams and Real-life
Dog dreams are often times symbolic and will reveal the contents of a person’s heart and soul. Pay more attention to what the dog in your dream represents and its effect on you during and after your dream.
You will get more answers this way because often times the dog dreams are greatly related to real-life.
The Religious Insights About Dog Dreams
Many religious individuals are usually very concerned about their dog dreams. Most of them are more concerned when the dog in their dreams is chasing, biting, growling or viciously attacking them.
An example of a dog dream narration, “ I was walking when two dogs came out of nowhere and began attacking me. Shortly after, a man in glowing white appeared and the dogs went to him and soon after he began petting them and calming them down.”
Another dog dream narration, “ I was at home cleaning the house when this dog entered the house and began being friendly towards me, the dog followed me everywhere and wouldn’t leave my side but then all of a sudden he disappeared and I was devastated by the loss to a point of waking up in tears”
There are countless other dog dream narrations which have sparked a lot of interest in religious setups.
Many religious interpretations of dogs always center on the negative because a dog in a dream is never a good thing, to them no matter how positive sounding the dream could be. With passages in the bible like Psalm 22:16(for dogs have compassed me about: the assembly of wicked have enclosed me…” and the Apostle Paul quoted in the book of Philippians 3:2(Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers….
The book of Revelations 22:14-15(Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. However, outside of the gates are dogs, sorcerers…”
In the Quran, there are quotes like, “He who takes his gift back is like a dog that swallows back its vomit.”
“There are five harmful things which should be killed whether or not one is in the state of ihram: a snake, a speckled crow, a rat, a voracious dog,…”
“was it not that the dogs are a nation among other nations, I would have ordered you to kill it, so kill from it any pitch-black dog.”
From those Bible scriptures and Quran quotes it is clear that both religions have very little positive things to say about dogs. Actually there is nowhere in the those scriptures where dogs are cast in positive light, dogs are always cast in negative view wherever they are quoted. Hardly will you find a scripture that says, “reward your dog when he is faithful and loyal to you..” or “let your hearts be as pure as your loyal and well-trained dog” or “as your dog will lay down his life to protect you so should you for the sake of the His word”
Honestly, staunch Christians and Muslim will actually grimace at these suggestions of dog scriptures and this is why they will always worry when they experience a dog dream. However, does this mean that dogs cannot do good things and shouldn’t be cast in a positive light even when the dog dreams are good?
In the case where the dog dreams are friendly, the reality according to most religious interpretations is that the dreamer is a victim of manipulation by evil forces and should, therefore, reject any dog dreams even when they are not nightmares but sweet dog dreams.
For this reason, many religious individuals will consider a dog dream as a sign of bad things that have either already happened or will happen. Most of them will, therefore, pray about it to ward of any evil dog spirits which according to their interpretation represents wickedness.
How To Avoid Bad Dog Dreams
If you are experiencing bad dog dreams there is something you can do to at least influence them to be good. You could start by changing your attitude towards dogs. If you are afraid of them, then it would be a good time to start working towards overcoming that fear.
Secondly, you can ward off bad dog dreams by correcting the mistakes in your life. It could be a bad attitude towards life, bad company, a bad job or bad living conditions.
Let your outward life strike a good balance and remain stable and you are less likely to have bad dog dreams or bad dreams in general.
Always remember that the dog dreams are usually messages from your subconscious which is always very knowledgeable.
Conclusion
Everyone at some point will experience dog dreams. Their interpretation might not always be accurate but when you receive an interpretation and compare it to what you are currently going through in life, often times you find that there is some truth to what the meanings are.
The above interpretations of dog dreams have proved to be true in most instances because the messages truly relate to what the dreamer is actually feeling or doing in life.
Some people strongly believe that dog dreams are messages from the universe like most dreams, while others believe that they aren’t but are instead just normal occurrences associated by information stored in the subconscious.
What no one can dispute is that dog dreams do exist. People around the world from diverse cultures and regions have had similar dreams about dogs and the interpretation is usually almost similar.
Sweet and lovely dog dreams aren’t only limited to dog lovers, just like the garish and nightmarish dog dreams aren’t limited to the dog or animal haters. Dog dreams just like other dreams occur depending on what your subconscious takes in. The occurrences in your life play a huge role in the making of your dreams.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article !