An emblem of faithfulness, and it is in this sense that it appears so often
at the feet of women in the engravings on mediaeval tombs; in the same way the
lion, an attribute of the male, symbolizes valour (20). In Christian symbolism, the
dog has another sense, deriving from the function of the sheep-dog: that of guarding and guiding the flocks, which at times becomes an allegory of the priest (46).
In a more profound sense, though still related to the foregoing, the dog is—like the
vulture—the companion of the dead on their ‘Night Sea-Crossing’, which is
associated with the symbolisms of the mother and of resurrection. It has a similar
significance when it appears in scenes depicting the Mithraic sacrifice of the bull
(31). In alchemy, it was used as a sign rather than as a symbol. A dog devoured by
a wolf represents the purification of gold by means of antimony.

To see a dog in your dream, symbolizes intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. The dream suggests that your strong values and good intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and bring you success. The dream dog may also represent someone in your life who exhibits these qualities. Alternatively, to see a dog in your dream, indicates a skill that you may have ignored or forgotten. If the dog is vicious and/or growling, then it indicates some inner conflict within yourself. It may also indicate betrayal and untrustworthiness. If the dog is dead or dying, then it means a loss of a good friend or a deterioration of your instincts.

To dream that a dog bites you on the leg, suggests that you have lost your ability to balance aspects of your life. You may be hesitant in approaching a new situation or have no desire to move forward with your goals. Alternatively, it symbolizes disloyalty.

To see a happily barking dog in your dream, symbolizes pleasures and social activity. You are being accepted into some circle. If the dog is barking ferociously, then it represents your habit of making demands on people and controlling situations around you. Are you "barking" too many orders? Alternatively, it could also indicate unfriendly companions.

To dream that you are buying a dog, indicates your tendency to buy your friends or buy compliments and favors. Alternatively, it suggest a need for you to find companionship. If you are being guided by a dog, then it suggests that you are having difficulties in navigating out of a situation or problem.

To dream that you give or send your dog away, indicates that the decisions and choices you are making now may be misinterpreted as disloyalty. You have to do what is right for you and not worry about what others think of the decision. Alternatively, it signifies rejection of friendship.

To dream that you are dressing up your dog, signifies your attempts to cover up your own character flaws and habits.

To see a black colored dog in your dream, symbolizes the shadow aspect of a friend. The dark side of someone close to you is being revealed and you are able to see through to their true intentions.

Also consider the notions associated with the word dog, such as loyalty ("man's best friend") and to be "treated like a dog".

Seeing a dog in your dream, indicate a skill that you have ignored or forgotten, but needs to be activated. Alternatively, dogs may symbolize intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. Your own values and intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and succeed. If the dog is vicious and/or growling, then it means some inner conflict within yourself. It may indicate betrayal and untrustworthiness. If the dog is dead or dying, then it indicates a loss of a good friend. Alternatively, it represents a deterioration of your instincts. Dreaming that a dog bites your on the leg, suggests that you have lost your ability to balance aspects of your life. You may be hesitant in approaching a new situation or have no desire to move forward with your goals. Seeing a happily barking dog in your dream, symbolizes pleasures and much social activity. If the dog is barking ferociously, then it represents your habit of making demands on people and controlling situations around you. It could also mean unfriendly companions. Dreaming that you are buying a dog indicates your tendency to buy your friends or buy compliments/favors. Alternatively, it suggest a need for you to find companionship. Dreaming that you are dressing up your dog means your attempts to cover up your own character flaws and habits.

Dogs in dreams could symbolise a large variety of ideas and concepts, but mostly they are symbolic of the dreamer's defensive structure and may represent personal boundary issues. Carefully consider all of the details and the mood in your dream. First, if you have a dog, it may be natural to dream about him. We become emotionally attached to our dogs and we dream about them just as we dream about anything else that is important to us. Otherwise, dogs could symbolize loyalty and hard work.

If you hear a barking dog in your dream, your unconscious could be warning you of danger. A growling dog can be a warning that someone you know is being untrustworthy.

If you dream of being bitten by a dog, you could be engaging in activities that will cause you problems later on in waking life.

If someone calls you a dog, it is a negative reflection on your personality. If you are being treated like a dog, you are most likely being abused in some way.

On the metaphysical level, dogs are considered to be the guardians of the underworld. Finally, dogs could represent the more basic or "animal" parts of our nature and some think that they specifically represent male energy.

Dog Meaning and Dog Symbolism

To me, dog meaning and symbolism rings my bells in the realms of communication, and I elaborate on that the theme of communication on my "Dog Meaning and Symbolism in the Tarot" article.

I'll let you in on a little secret: Once upon a time, the sound of barking dogs put my nerves in a "tilt." Worse than scrapes down a chalkboard; barking and yapping dogs would send me in a nervous tailspin. I'm an audio-attuned person, and certain sounds just send rancor through my nerve-ranks.

Thankfully, that nerve-crushing reaction subsided when I met with an Iroquois native. Naturally perceptive, she noticed my jangled state while we were passing a group of neighborhood canines. Acting on her observations, she took the time to explain the intricacies and importance of "dog-speak." She shared with me how canine language is complex and vital to how dogs communicate their well-being (or otherwise), their views and the status of their community. Embracing her Iroquoian wisdom, I viewed (heard) dog-speak in a whole new light.

Now, every time I hear dogs baying in my awareness - I get quiet. I listen. I realize their speech is an opportunity to gain vital information on the status of my environment (and theirs). Intonation, pitch, guttural inflection, repetitious patterns....they all contribute to the overall message a dog is conveying. If you listen close, you can pick up on their language. It can be a true oracle. Try it sometime.

A short-list of dog meaning includes symbolic attributes like:

Fidelity
Loyalty
Assistance
Intelligence
Obedience
Protection
Community
Cooperation
Resourcefulness
Communication
Sensory Perception

The theme of communication becomes heightened when we peer into histories and discover dog meaning and symbolism is connected to the metaphysical realms. The dog has long been considered a liaison between the physical and non-physical dimensions. Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Celtic and beyond have all prescribed the dog as a sacred guardian of the Otherworlds - those realms outside our daily/mundane experience. If you hear of dogs being symbols of death - this is the connection: Dogs are the guardians of ephemeral domains, and can even serve as spirit guides in non-physical journeys.

Consider Anubis, the Egyptian god whose charge is to insure safe transitions from common reality (physical life on Earth) into the Afterlife experience. With the head of a jackal (of canine ilk), Anubis dons the super-powerful sensory perception of the dog. Further, that dog connection represents the epitome of protection, guidance, loyalty and adherence to the flow of unseen spiritual energy. To be sure, safe passage from "life" to Afterlife will be seen to success under the governance of the dog/jackal-headed Anubis. In this ancient light, we get distinct impressions of: Security, Guardianship, Protection.

Dogs are sacred to Hecate, the Greek-Roman overseer of lots of things - but surely a matron bound to protect that which is misunderstood. It seems (to me) where there is senseless lashing out against that which is misunderstood, Hecate comes ferociously in justification - her dogs baying with equal verve at her side. Death, darkness, wild wandering, lunar moodiness, midnight journeying...Hecate defends the soul's right to wander in these little-known, oft-misunderstood alleyways. With her highly perceptive hounds guiding the way (and protecting the body as the spirit wanders), astral travel becomes eons easier.

Interestingly, Hecate and her hounds will also speak for (and protect) those who cannot do so for themselves. Newborns. Hecate and her dogs represent an Alliance for Defense and Protection to those who cannot defend themselves: Babies, Children, the Meek, the Mild, the Mad and the unjustly Maligned.

In Celtic symbolism, dogs are a representation of heroism. They embody heart-pounding attributes such as: Courage, Persistence, Virility. This, in large part is due to a Celtic dog's role in hunting. Dogs were even trained by the ancient Celts to assist in battle. So here we see that same thread of defense, protection and action for the good of the clan. An interesting paradox: Celtic dogs are also symbolic of healing. They are often associated with Nodens, a Celtic god of nutritive waters, hunting and healing (water is often synonymous with healing in Celtic wisdom). Dogs have also been portrayed with Sucellus, the Celtic god of protection and provision (from an agricultural view).

Native American Indian tribes have long depended upon the dog for their helpful guidance and assistance in everyday chores. Before horses, there were dogs and they were trained to help the tribe in agricultural efficiency as well as hunting. In fact, when horses were introduced to North America by the Spaniards, the term "sky dogs" was dubbed for horses because they were as helpful as their canine allies. In Native American wisdom dogs convey symbolism of: Assistance, Fidelity, Community, Protection, Friendship and Communication.

The dog is a totem of faith, reliability and mentoring. Its basic instinct is to serve a master, and even though it is often mistreated, it always answers with love. Since the dog strives to be respected by its master, it is, of course, possible to spoil it with the wrong training. Ultimately, the dog is the guardian of its master and willing to do anything for him, possibly even follow him into death. Traditionally, the dog is also guardian of secret areas and ancient knowledge. The dog's heart is filled with compassion, and it is willing to overlook human weakness. The dog can help bring these qualities to life in a person. He teaches us about mentoring, that is being the person who believes in us more that we believe in ourselves. The dog teaches us to examine one's loyalty toward one-self and others, and if a dog has arrived in your life it is a question about whether you are truly giving support.

Protection, companionship, faithfulness, warnings. Dog is a symbol of friendship and the unconditional ability to love and accept. They exhibit loyalty and are fierce protectors when needed. Examine the type of dog and what it says about you. What behaviors do you have or would like to have of the dog? Are you showing compassion for others? Are you a good companion and protector balanced with playfulness and joy? Are you serving humanity in the best way you can? Dog can teach you strength in the above qualities.

To dream that you are happy, may be a compensatory dream and is often a dream of the contrary. You may be trying to compensate for the sadness or stress in your waking life.

Dreaming that you are happy, may be a compensatory dream and is often a dream of the contrary. You may be trying to compensate for the sadness or stress in your waking life.

n Just as the powers of the Earth must be defended, so, by analogy,
must all mythic, religious and spiritual wealth or power be protected against
hostile forces or against possible intrusion by the unworthy. Hence the familiarity of the ‘keeper of the treasure’ in legends: almost invariably, this guardian is a
griffin or dragon, or else a warrior endowed with superhuman powers. In temples,
the idea of defence is implicit in the spatial organization and confirmed by the
disposition of the walls, the doors and towers. In the Far East, the guardians are
usually fabulous monsters. In Western countries, the same function may be performed by the figures inscribed on doorways. From the psychological point of
view, guardians symbolize the forces gathered on the threshold of transition
between different stages of evolution and spiritual progress or regression. The
‘guardian of the threshold’ must be overcome before Man can enter into the
mastery of a higher realm.

To see your guardian in your dream, signifies that you will be treaded with consideration by your friends.

To dream of a guardian, denotes you will be treated with consideration by your friends. For a young woman to dream that she is being unkindly dealt with by her guardian, foretells that she will have loss and trouble in the future.

Seeing your guardian in your dream means that you will be treaded with consideration by your friends.

To dream that you are giving a gift, signifies your generosity towards others. Alternatively, you may be trying to express some feeling or have something awkward to say that has to be carefully packaged. If you are showering someone with gifts, then it indicates that you are being overly pushy with your advice. Or that you are trying to hard to be accepted. If you are buying or giving someone expensive gifts, then it symbolizes the sacrifices you are making for that person. You want to make them feel important.

To dream that you receive a gift, indicates that you are being rewarded and recognized for your generosity and giving nature. You are held in high esteem by those around you. If someone gives you an inappropriate gift, then it suggests that you are the subject of unwelcome attention from someone. If you dream that you give someone an inappropriate gift, then it suggests that your true nature will eventually be exposed. Analyze the gift you give or receive for additional significance.

To see a pile of gifts, symbolizes unutilized or unrecognized skills and talents.

To open a gift and find something disgusting inside, symbolizes disappointments or unexpected failures.

To dream that you receive gifts from any one, denotes that you will not be behind in your payments, and be unusually fortunate in speculations or love matters.

To send a gift, signifies displeasure will be shown you, and ill luck will surround your efforts.

For a young woman to dream that her lover sends her rich and beautiful gifts, denotes that she will make a wealthy and congenial marriage.

Dreaming that you are giving a gift means your generosity towards others. Alternatively, you may be trying to express some feeling or have something awkward to say that has to be carefully packaged. Dreaming that you receive a gift indicates your tremendous luck in fortune and love. You are being rewarded for a job well done and are held in high esteem by those around you.

To dream that you forget your name or someone else's name, suggests that you are feeling overwhelmed and burdened. It may also indicate that you have forgotten your true self or your family roots.

To hear your name being called, indicates that you are in touch and in tune with your spirituality. You need to be more aware of your own uniqueness and your individuality.

To see a familiar name written in your dream, symbolizes the way you feel about that person. Your intuition about them may turn out to be true.

To dream that you changed your name or are referred to by a different name, suggests that you are undergoing some major transformation or metamorphosis in your waking life. You are experiencing a reawakening.

Dreaming that you forget your name or someone else's name, suggests that you be feeling overwhelmed and burdened. It may also indicate that you have forgotten your true self or your family roots. Hearing your name being called indicates that you are in touch and in tune with your spirituality. It also makes you aware of your own uniqueness and highlights your individuality. Seeing a familiar name written in your dream, symbolizes the way you feel about that person. Your intuition about them may turn out to be true.

Mother-symbols are characterized by an interesting ambivalence:
the mother sometimes appears as the image of nature, and vice-versa; but the
Terrible Mother is a figure signifying death (31). For this reason, Hermetic doctrine held that to ‘return to the mother’ was equivalent to dying. For the Egyptians, the vulture was a mother-symbol, probably because it devours corpses
(19); it also stood for the means whereby Hammamit (the universal soul) was
split up into separate parts to form individual souls (19). For the same reason, the
maternal sentiment has been said to be closely bound up with the nostalgic
longing of the spirit for things material (18), or with the subjection of the spirit to
the unformulated but implacable law of destiny. Jung mentions that in Jean
Thenaud’s Traité de la Cabale (of the 16th century) there is a mother-figure
actually represented in the form of a god of destiny (32). He mentions further that
the Terrible Mother is the counterpart of the Pietà, representing not only death
but also the cruel side of nature—its indifference towards human suffering (31).
Jung also notes that the mother is symbolic of the collective unconscious, of the
left and nocturnal side of existence—the source of the Water of Life. It is the
mother, he argues, who is the first to bear that image of the anima which the man
must project upon Woman passing from the mother to the sister and finally to the
beloved (32). A predominantly maternal social pattern—a matriarchal society—
is characterized, according to Bachofen, by special emphasis upon blood relationships, telluric allegiances, and the passive acceptance of natural phenomena.
Patriarchies are distinguished by a respect for man-made laws, the favouring of
works of art and craft, and obedience to the hierarchy (23). Even now that
matriarchal societies, sociologically speaking, no longer exist in the West, psychologically man is nevertheless passing through a phase when he is in all essentials dominated by the feminine principle. To come triumphantly through this
stage and to reinstate the masculine principle as the guiding-rule of life—bringing
to the fore the characteristically patriarchal qualities noted above—would signify
an achievement of the kind that was once symbolized by the transformation of
the ‘lunar work’ into the solar, or by the transmutation of mercury into sulphur.
To quote Evola: ‘Symbols of the earth-mother are: water, the mother of the waters, stone, the cave, the maternal home, night, the house of depth, and the
house of strength or of wisdom.’

To see your mother in your dream, represents the nurturing aspect of your own character. Mothers offer shelter, comfort, life, guidance and protection. Some people may have problems freeing themselves from their mothers and are thus seeking their own individuality and development.

To dream that you are having a conversation with your mother, denotes a matter that has preoccupied your mind and you are not sure how to deal with it in your waking life. It indicates unresolved problems that need to be worked out with your mother.

To hear your mother call you in our dream, suggests that you have been negligent in your duties and responsibilities. You are pursuing down the wrong path.

If you dream that you see your mother and converse with her, it indicates that you
will have prosperity in life. To dream that you have lost your mother indicates her sickness.

To see your mother in dreams as she appears in the home, signifies pleasing results from any enterprise.

To hold her in conversation, you will soon have good news from interests you are anxious over.

For a woman to dream of mother, signifies pleasant duties and connubial bliss.

To see one's mother emaciated or dead, foretells sadness caused by death or dishonor.

To hear your mother call you, denotes that you are derelict in your duties, and that you are pursuing the wrong course in business.

To hear her cry as if in pain, omens her illness, or some affliction is menacing you.

Seeing your mother in your dream, represents the nurturing aspect of your own character. Mothers offer shelter, comfort, life, guidance and protection. Some people may have problems freeing themselves from their mothers and are thus seeking their own individuality and development. Dreaming that you are having a conversation with your mother indicates a matter that has preoccupied your mind and you are not sure how to deal with it in your waking life. It indicates unresolved problems that still need to be worked out with your mother. Hearing your mother call you in our dream means that you have been negligent in your duties and responsibilities. You are pursuing down the wrong path. Hearing your mother cry in your dream indicates some illness or affliction.

The relationship that we have with our mother is the most psychologically significant relationship of all. Rarely all good or all bad, our mothers always invoke powerful emotions. We may dream about our mothers in many different forms. She may be disguised in our dreams, and it is our job to find her in there. If you are dreaming about your mother, you may be addressing some issues or concerns in your dream, or your dream may be based on a valuable memory. The general image of "mother" in a dream may symbolise a variety of feelings and ideas: caring, nurturing, love, acceptance, hard work, sacrifice, martyrdom, etc. The mother in your dream could also represent the "collective unconscious," the source of the "water of life," and the yin. The woman is that force, or current, inside of you that nudges you on and inspires you. It is your intuition and the knowledge that in not necessarily attached to words. Men, on the other hand, represent the active part of us that use the information received to create the physical reality of our lives. When the two are working together well, we have balance and experience awareness leading to peace and productivity.