Dreaming of dead dog

millsymuttleylaugh

Firstly I dunno if this is in the right place, and secondly I really wish I could of reworded the title, it sounds abit sinister...

Anyway, alot of you helped me when I lost my dog last month, I've not been on here very regularly since then, my lifes been abit up and down. But let me get to the point.

I've had quite a few dreams about my dog - Sam. He was put to sleep aged 14 because he had a cancerous tumour in his front leg and hip displasia (sp) in his back legs so there was nothing we could do for him.

At first when I dreamt about him, he was in a field and he'd always be running, but I could never get close to him, he was always running away from me. When I told my mum she said it could be a sign of letting him go and knowing he's not coming back. But since those few dreams of him running away, things have now changed.

I've had a dream where we had his ashes, yet my mum went and fetched him from the vets so he was fine but we still had his ashes, that one confused me :S

Yesterday I dreamt he was chewing a pigs ear in front of me (something he did alot) he was there real as life to me, my mum walked by the door looked in and I said to her hes not there is he, and she said no, I asked what she could see and she could just see the pigs ear on the floor.

I also dreamt that he was on the settee, he allowed me to come close to him and hug him, but as I did hug him, he turned into the new dog, that one also freaked me out.

Last night I dreamt that he was on the settee again, but he was with the new dog and he let me hug him and cuddle him, it was very comforting to me, but again distressing as I woke up believing he was still here and had to be taken back to reality.

What I want to ask basically is does anyone have any ideas of what these dreams mean? I am dreaming about him because I'm thinking about him alot? Or in a more spiritual way is he contacting me or something like that?

It was a month since we lost him yesterday, I've still not got over it properly, it really hit me so hard. We have two new dogs now - not my personal choice but the rest of the family felt ready to move on so I agreed.

Thank you for your help

I'd just like to add I've been having disturbed sleep since I've lost him. I wake up several times throughout the night, and early hours of the morning and regardless of the time I go to bed I don't feel rested.

Raggs_2

Sounds to me like you're just missing him a lot. But then I don't believe in spirits etc, so I would say that .

I dreamt about my old family pet after she died (day before my final A level exam).

Did he sleep close to you? It could easily be your body reacting to the lack of his noises. I'm sure I'd sense something was wrong if my dog wasn't around. Just a lack of noises, huffing, scratching etc etc. We notice absence of sound just as much as the presence of a new one (and often the absence is more disturbing since it's harder to work out what's missing).

The new dogs may offset some of the above, but still, it could be just even more reason that your body is all out of sync. And I've noticed I tend to dream more often, and a lot stranger dreams, when not sleeping well.

foreign_correspondent

I think its your subconcious trying to deal with your loss, and maybe you feel a little bit guilty about letting your affections for the new dogs 'take over' your love for him? - of course, they are not replacements, and you can love them without meaning you forget about, or stop loving Sam...

This is only my speculation, but I wonder if it rings any bells.. he was in your life a long time, it is only natural that it will take some getting over, and grief expresses itself in some strange ways...

YorkiePud_3

I think they are lovely dreams you are having .... *S* ... I really do.

Regardless of whether they have any deep meaning or not, they must feel comforting to you and if they do, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks whatsoever!!

I am spiritual so I see more in the dreams than say Raggs does (which is not to be dismissive of your post at all, Raggs!!) ...

To my mind seeing him in the field and him being able to run signifies what we all hope for our pets when we have had to say goodbye to them ... that they end up someplace where they don't hurt anymore and aren't in distress but are able to do the things they weren't able to do here towards the end of their lives.

I would say the fact he ran away from you says he's in a place where it isn't right for you to be yet ... so he had to leave you ... you've got this life to lead but from time to time you might feel close to him through your dreams.

For me and my beliefs, having his ashes yet seeing him as he was says that he is how he was when he was here ... he's free from his pain and just because you have those ashes, it doesn't mean that is him .. that that is all that's left of him because his spirit is free and he's ok.

The dream where you went to hug him but suddenly it was the new dog you were hugging ... again, only my own thoughts, but I'd take that to mean that you've got the new dog to love and be loved by ... that your lovely old dog is still around you but now you need to give all your love and caring to the new dog and make the new dog's life as happy as your old dog's life was *S*

I think the dream where you saw him with the new dog was the icing on the cake ... it's as though he's giving his approval of the new dog (ok, some people will say that sounds daft but I don't care ... *LOL* ... this is only my own opinion and thoughts and as I say, everyone might think and feel differently!) ... but it is as though he's saying ok ... this new dog isn't too bad at all ... !!

I know how hard it is to have such a vivid dream and then to wake up and realise that they aren't there with you ... after I lost my first chihuahua I went to bed that night and whilst I was still awake, laid in the dark, I actually felt the bed go down and the blanket move beside my legs where my dog always laid ... he would ruffle the blanket and settle down in the crook of my knees.
That night I had the most vivid dream of him ... I can't describe it .. he was just there with me and everything was how it always had been.
When I woke up I looked down to the bottom of the bed fully expecting to see him there.

I kept having dreams like this on and off for a month or so and then they just stopped ... I'd like to think it was his way of helping me through the first part of my grieving for him ... a slow goodbye if you like, to give me time to come to terms with him going. Since then I haven't dreamed of him at all but I treasure those dreams and feel glad that I had them ... even though, at the time, it was upsetting when it hit me that they were only dreams .... !!

You are bound to feel unsettled and not be able to sleep well .... you're worried about the dreams and probably wondering when you will have another! When you go to bed, why not say (in your mind) that you send all your love to your old dog and are happy to have had such a wonderful time with him but you accept he's someplace else now .... you see, it's almost as though you need to let go ... not of your memories because they become as precious as gold over time, but you need to ALLOW yourself to accept that you have to look forward now and not back ... that the time with your old dog was wonderful but now there is another dog who needs you and right now can give you some comfort while you come to terms with the loss of your old friend.

Give yourself time ... allow yourself to take things slowly ... don't think "I should be ok with this by now" ... just go with the flow ... we need to grieve ... in our own way and in our own time.

Keep your chin up, love ... we are so lucky to have such wonderful dogs sharing our lives for a short period of time and they really are only ever a thought away xxx

Spirit_2

Poor you.

At various points in life when I have suffered a bereavement (but not always) I have had mixed up, and at times disturbing dreams. Sometimes I have fround myself 'searching' faces in crowds or other places for the person/s I have lost. Reading of your situation has made me reflect that is probably because I haven't let that loved one go.

When we lost our first dog, 12 years ago, I 'looked' for him for months. Last year when we lost our dog - I knew immediately deep within me that he was gone and although sad I think I had "accepted" it straight away.

Give yourself time to grieve for your dog, talk about him - and remember what he gave you and what you gave to him. Try to be grateful for what you had. You would have liked more...but he was long lived and there has to be an end. It is how the wor

Take care

dizzy_lizzie

YorkiePud wrote: »

I think they are lovely dreams you are having .... *S* ... I really do.
I think the dream where you saw him with the new dog was the icing on the cake ... it's as though he's giving his approval of the new dog (ok, some people will say that sounds daft but I don't care ... *LOL* ... this is only my own opinion and thoughts and as I say, everyone might think and feel differently!) ... but it is as though he's saying ok ... this new dog isn't too bad at all ... !!
Keep your chin up, love ... we are so lucky to have such wonderful dogs sharing our lives for a short period of time and they really are only ever a thought away xxx

Hi YorkiePud
Have only part quoted but what a lovely post. Oh and I agree with you and also don't care if folks think I'm potty!
Luvz Dizzy x

millsymuttleylaugh

Thank you all for helping.

I do agree that I need to let go and move on, theres just a feeling around it that I can't describe, I guess a part of me has accepted it and moved on (I don't think I could have bonded with the new dog otherwise) but the other part of me feels guilty for it, and doesn't want to let him go.

YorkiePud your post was so nice, it bought tears to my eyes, the things you said and the ways you spoke about my dream, its exactly the type of meaning I'd want the dreams to have if I could choose. I'm not religious and I don't really think I'm spiritual, but the thought of Sam giving his approval and showing his love, it just comforts me so much, its such a better feeling than just thinking I'm dreaming of him because I'm thinking about him.

Thank you

Fire_Fox

millsymuttleylaugh wrote: »

Thank you all for helping.

I do agree that I need to let go and move on, theres just a feeling around it that I can't describe, I guess a part of me has accepted it and moved on (I don't think I could have bonded with the new dog otherwise) but the other part of me feels guilty for it, and doesn't want to let him go.

Your new dogs are not replacing Sam, there is room is your heart for more than one dog, just like there is room in a mum's heart for all her children. :A You don't have to let go of Sam or move on you just have to have a different sort of relationship with him - in your memories, in your dreams and maybe in the afterlife if you believe in that.

CFC

I agree with Yorkie pud. I do believe in the spiritual side of life, and that death is by no means the end.

vicx

I lost my yorkshire terrier 3 year ago at the age of 14. For the first few months, I too was having disturbed sleep and dreaming of my dog almost every night. There were times I woke up thinking he was still here and other times I was having disturbing dreams of my dog so woke up crying. I still dream of him now and again but not as much as I used to. I do think of him everyday too.

My dog used to sleep in my parents bedroom and for months my mam could hear him walking on the wooden floor in the bedroom. I think she still hears him now and again. I just tell her shes going mad

It took over a year for me to come to terms with losing my dog, he was my first dog and had him such a long time. The only thing that helped me get through it was my other 2 dogs. You will never forget your dog or get over losing him but it does get easier with time.

Lilith1980

I totally believe in the power of dreams.

Not the same thing but my Dad died when I was young and over the years I've had lots of dreams about him. They would start off with me being in the car with him and him driving around (I used to go with him in the car a lot as I liked him driving me around!).

Then he would be at the house, like he had just been 'missing' for years and it would be great seeing him but I would wake up feeling upset because I would then realise he was not alive anymore.

After some time I would dream he was at the house again, but then I knew it wasn't really him and he was gone. And this is the point (I believe) where I finally accepted my father's death. It took many many years and whilst I won't get over it, I accept it now.

But dreams are so powerful and I think it's great that you can experience times with Sam again and I believe it's about you working through your feelings and coming to your own acceptance. But how fantastic that you can 'be' with him again sometimes. I loved the dreams when I was with my dad

It will get better, but it's understandable about the lack of sleep etc. Sam obviously meant a lot to you so it's about allowing yourself this time to grieve ((hugs)).