Is the spirit of my dog visiting me in my dreams?
Submitted by : John
My Story: Nearly 10 years ago I bought a puppy I'd named Harry. I had gone through so tough times personally and had to move back in with my parents at the time so getting the puppy helped me focus on him and just getting on with my life. I spent many good years with him, he truly was my best friend, and he never let me down.
As I got older I found a new job, met my now wife, got married and moved out but Harry stayed with my parents and every weekend and every chance I got I would visit my parents and take Harry for walks.
One day my wife and I made the decision to emigrate to the UK from South Africa. And after yet another, more permanent career change we made the move. Not long after, both my parents, who originally came from the UK in the early 70's also decided to retire back here.
Now coming from any county in Europe, as far as I know there is no quarantine for pets or animals. However coming from any part of Africa, there's a 6 month quarantine process that any pet or animal has to go through and the costs are staggering. So the decision was made that we couldn't afford to bring him over and we to give him to a good home.
We placed an add into the local newspaper which was answered and an youngish family, who lived on a farm, who had a son of about 16 came and chose to adopt Harry and my moms dog. My mom had to do this for me as I couldn't bare to see him go. As I type this I'm getting a lump in my throat. My mom said that as soon as Harry saw the boy they ran to each other and couldn't be more happier in each others company.
(I'm getting the point now I promise 
)
A year or so later one night I lay in bed staring at the roof as I do and I got the dreadful feeling that something had happened to Harry. And for many weeks I would lay in bed having this heavy dreadful weight on my chest feeling something had happened. I'd even broke down and burst into tears in a book store one afternoon reading about the Russian dog that went into space! Now I'm not the type to cry or burst into tears at the drop of a hat but I just couldn't control it.
A few months past and I learned to accept the feeling and move on. There was absolutely nothing I could do, I couldn't contact the people who adopted him and even if I did it would be too hard to explain who I was and why I was calling from 6000 miles away to find out about a dog they adopted 2 years back.
(To the point...)
Last night I was, as usual, wide awake and I was watching a tv show about a medium who was recently 'booted off' a popular ghost hunting show for being a fraud... anyways, this medium was talking about dogs and the effect they have on people and how their spirits link with ours and so on. I started to wonder if I'd ever get the chance to go onto something like this and would someone from the spirit side want to pass a message onto me and of course I thought about Harry and if something had happened to him. Shortly after I'd gone to bed and that night I'd dreamt about Harry for the second time in my life, and he was so happy to see me and in my dream I held him and burst into tears. It was a strange sensation because I remember he didn't like being held too long but in my dream he let me hold him and he was running circles around me all excited and he let me chase him like I used to.
Now I don't know if this dream was a product of me thinking about him earlier that evening or if it truly was my dog communicating with me and a big part of me hopes that is the case.
I do know that the last time I had a similar dream, it was about a friend of mine who had passed away a few years after his baby brother had passed away. In that dream my friend sat in a play park watching his brother on a swing set, he looked at me and said he's happy now, he's with his brother.
Not very paranormal but something that I consider unusual that is not a common occurrence for me. I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar experiance.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
hi john
not sure if you’re the same john that commented on my nintendo experience.
i think the two dreams you had were definately spiritual.your dog harry and your freind visited you in your dreams to let you know they were well and happy and to say goodbye.i had a similar dream about my grandad if you read back through previous entries at the bottom of the page you will find it.i believe it was this spritual dream that kick started me on my psychic path.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
John:-)
I really liked reading this, and you should know that many things can happen inside dreams, not just the normal weird and wacky stuff that lets our brains unwind. I have seroius premonitions that come true, good and bad. And inside dream state, you are much easier to approach from the spirit world, messages can be passed onto you by those who want to help, afford you warnings, information, even reassurance that they’re there, that they love you, that they’re never far away.
Some people can get this wide awake, as well, but when distress, doubt, or, insecurity on paranormal issues, or even feeling stupid about believing, wanting to believe it, affects your waking hours, it sorta blocks the spirit realm from answering your needs, and so, spirits will often wait until you’re inside sleep mode, and pass information here.
And your dog knew, felt your need, and returned to show you he still loves you, had not forgottne, and is safe, to reassure you, because those tears, those emotions went way beyond the places you were in, they went into the ether and beyond and reached your dog’s own soul.
I will share two of many dog stories I have, that demonstrate this fact. My first German Shepherd was called Firn, she lived to ten and a half years old, she got cancer, and she was magnificent, so brave, so loyal, and i had to put her down because she was suffering. During her lifetime, she had protected me and my five children of my first marriage, she was my rock, she stood my height on her hind legs (five foot one) small for me, large for her, she was mum to a crufts champion too, I bred from her.
The day she was put down, I ran from the room, I couldn’t bare to watch past the shaving of her front leg ready for the needle that the vet had raised ready. I sat inside the crowded waiting room, and steeled myself to be brave, not be a baby… I’de faced death in humans, so I could handle this. Suddenly, I felt my Firn sit right down beside me, at my left leg, she leaned right against it, as she always did as a heel trained dog, where she’d sat and walked and stuck like glue her whole ten years of life.
I felt her entire weight lean on me, and I panicked, jumped up and ran outside. I was in floods of tears when my partner came out with her slip chain in his hand. I know she was there, I should have put my hand down to stroke her head, as I’d always done, but fear had overcome me, it told me clearly the very second that she died, she leapt off the table through that door and wall and homed straight to mum… me!
From the age of eleven to thirteen, I was adopted by a ‘dangerous’ black labrador, for two years that dog was all but mine, it just never lived with me, dad said decidedly not… but, Kim spent all day of every day that I had free, with me.
I retrained it, got him out of chasing motorbikes and scaring half the neighbourhood to death, including my biker father. I surprised all the neighbours because Kim was huge and solid and wary of humans, while I was so small and barely weighed anything, but Kim slowly trusted and adored me, and I adored him.
One day as we walked in the woods nearby, woods that were once on the land my home sits on today, he was attacked by two bull mastiffs, and they ripped him to shreds, right before my eyes. I waded in, slight as I was, I grabbed the leads from the two girls who’d lost control of them and hit out at them, trying desperately to get them off of kim, one on top, ripping his back wide open, one underneath his neck, tearing at him there… as I hit Panza, the top dog, the lead dog, he turned his fury on me.
He snarled and leapt right through the air towards my throat, this huge dog wasn’t having me hit him, and Butch, hanging on the underside of Kim was suddenly thrown sideways as this black streak shot between the hurtiling snarling dog and me just inches from my throat, Kim had sensed I was in danger inside all of this and leapt to my defence. He smacked Panza from the side and crashed him to the ground, and then again, they ripped at him.
Kim died that day, I was bereft, and I never did forget him, all my life. I even wrote his story aas my first ever story sale in the old Weekend magazine that’s now defunct, I still have the copy with Kim’s story in.
Years later, here I am, on the exact piece of land that kim was ripped apart on, the very street I live on, walk every day, is where I carried/dragged/heaved him on hind legs, from woodland, acfross farmers field, back to his owners, where he died minutes after we got there.
I see a black shadow so often, assume it’s my old Broder Collie, turn to speak to her, only to find she’s fast alseep in another room, and often she wont go in her bed, because I have old dogs of mine who play her up and get inside it, every night we have this ritual, where she waits for me to ‘clear it’ otherwise, she wont go near it. Bty day she has no problems, by night, my dead dogs return.
I’ve seen them whilst awake, and when I’ve shut my eyes, and I see often, and feel often, spirits of my past dogs sitting beside me, they’ve become so openly obvious, I actually stop myself from ‘tripping’ over them now and then, only to realise, there is nothing there.
All creatures have souls, and all souls connect.
You beloveed dog, is still connected to you. He’ll pop in and out every now and then, more often when you’re sad, lonely, in distress, but mostly, you wont know he’s there, until you need to, want to, then, you’ll either dream, see him out the corner of your eye… or like i do often, step back and ‘bump’ into him and turn to find, there’s nothing there… but you will know, there is, it’s him!
JJ:-)
no edit off to bed
December 11th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Hi there,
Thanks for your reponces. It means a lot to me. In a way I was happy to experiance seeing my dog again but at the same time I have so much guilt now for having to leave him behind and not being with him when he passed on.
I try not to think what may have happened to him as I know it’s now absolutly pointless, I only pray that what ever happened he didn’t suffer or that he didn’t blame me. But the day it hit me when I honestly felt there was something wrong was unreal. It was a feeling of dread and pain and saddness all in one and to this day now I know that I will never be able to say I’m sorry and that I wished I could have brought him with and that I will always remember him for being my best friend.
@Sam yes, that was me adding the comment to your haunted DS
December 14th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
John:-)
Stop punishing yourself, your dog knows that you are sorry, knows that you were sad, knows how much you love him, and it was him who let you know that he was with you, his spirit reached out to you, and shared and this is what you felt. He’s ok now, he’s not suffering at all, and likely he still stops by now and then to check on you. Chances are, he’ll be the very first to greet you, on the other side.
JJ:-)
December 15th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
hi john
i agree with everything jeanie said.
animals are very psychic and harry would of known how you felt.he visited to let you know he loved you and understood.he knew all the great times you had together and how much you loved him.you will see him again one day,and i bet he visits you without you realizing.he may even send another dog your way one day and you will recognise some of his traits.
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 am
John, I believe that you are experiencing some paranormal things in your dreams. They seem to be messages, I believe that you are some sort of psychic and you can see the deceased in your dreams. They come to give you a sense of closure and to tell you they are happy passing on in the afterlife. I thank you for writing this story because it makes me feel happy for some reason that your dog got into contact with you. =)
January 18th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
I would also like to share my experiences even though its very painful to talk about.I lost my beloved silver standard poodle Joey 7 years ago and my beloved black standard poodle Frankie 6 years ago.I have just lost my sammy dashund 3 years ago. We all had a very strong bond, some friends might call unhealthy.Our souls will always be connected.I would not even go on vacation with my husband. I didn’t work either. Joey had epilepsy and needed medication daily, but anyway I just couldn’t leave them. we had so much fun everyday for 10 years.
Now we have 2 chihuahuas Jack and Johnny. Guilt free dogs we can take them everywhere! When we travel back to America they travel right at our feet in their bags.We live in London so its easy to go to paris or any European travel.
I had all 3 dogs cremated and I dust their urns every week and talk to them. I too have had dreams about them although its very rare,I wish I could dream about them more often.I wake up so happy after a dream.
Okay my point, We sleep with the chihuahuas, they have little huts on our bed that they sleep in.For several weeks now,Jack will suddenly jump out of his bed terrified and he runs in the living room and shakes. I will carry him back to bed and sit and hold him and he stares in his hut, sometimes I force him in and keep my arm in there. I am absolutely sure Sammys spirit is in there.Every night I feel him either on my feet or laying beside me. I always sit up thinking its one of the chihuahuas but when I feel inside their hut they are both in and sleeping. I don’t know what to do to help jack, he is really afraid.Also Different times of the day or night they will both be looking up at the same spot. The only time jack is scared is when Sammy is in his bed.Can anyone help me?
January 19th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Jill hi:-)
I know what you mean about not wanting to leave them anywhere, I can’t leave Tippa, my Border Collie, as she is not only arthritic, she is almost fifteen, and due to being the runt of the litter, having a bad hip all her life, she was hand fed her first year of life. The farmer I bought her from statrted hand feeding, and it was necessary for me to follow on.
Being a former dog trainer and breeder of German Shepherds (I have many past job skills) I tried hard to make her more self reilaint, but, though I eventually got her to eat herself, she would and still, only does it, when I stand inside the room with her, except, when she thinks I am asleep, and then, she will go feed herself. But this was compounded by the fact that I did try to leave her with a friend, and I was only gone a day, but, she just laid down on the floor by her back door, waiting for me to return, refused to eat and drink. My friend took her for a walk, dragged her more like, with her two dogs, whom Tippa was ok with, well she scrapped with one of them, but they eventually called an unwanted truce and tolerated one another. Halfway on the walk, she laid down and refused to budge, and Border Collie or not, she is quite a weight to lift when she doesn’t want to be lifted.
My friend was forced to phone her husband (retired) and he had to go out and carry her back home, and he said how heavy she was, considering she looked so light weight.
Now here’s a thing, dogs are not unlike humans, and they emapthise with us a lot, many dogs know for example, when their owner is about to have a seizure, or a stroke, hence, dogs are trained to spot these things today. And I have a daughter (my four child of six, third daughter) who, as a child, had the ability to think ‘heavy’ she was slight like me, small, like me, and very easy to lift up, yet, when she decided to think heavy, nobody, even my six foot strong armed ex hsuband, could lift her. She’d stand and think ‘I’m heavy’ and he’d put his hands underneath her elbows, and try with all his might, but couldn’t budge her.
Being Asperger, this bugged him a lot, since he was the man who boasted often of the time, he shoved three men aside inside his offices in Matlock Bath, an old and rambling house converted, and picked up the heavy safe they struggled with, and all alone, carried it up three flights of stairs.
Mind over matter. And my dog can do it like you would not believe.
And she is so attuned to my mediumistic self, she senses everything I senses and often more, and she has so many times when she just wont go near her bed, a certain spot, or sits and stairs behind me, across my shoulder, up in the air, across the room, and everytime she does, I know she is seeing someing, since she also does it at the time cold air goes round my legs (it’s doing it now, cos the temperature has dropped fast cos I’m sharing this) and Tippa always knows.
this is when she seeks attention most, and when i’ve checked she doesn’yt need a wee, a poo, her water bowl is full, her food is full as well, and she’s had a walk, I check for anyone outside, and have to concede, she’s tuning in again.
So, little rituals take place, I fuss her, hug her, make a cross on her forehead and mentally put white light around her, and I wave my arm across her bed and ’sweep it’ with wite light, and i know it works, because most dogs would look at you quisically and play, she however, immediately relaxes, and goes into her bed.
And sharing this, as a good dog handler, who’s trianed many dogs, is slightly embarrassing… but there you go, it happens, she’s a psychic dog… like mum, like four legged daughter;-)
You ar eboth excited at the possisibilty of having your past dogs around, and nervous with excitement, it’s possible, you frightened dog, is picking up your nerves. You need to chat with her about this, she will only understand that you are calm, and she will sense the rest. You need to make light of it, not be keyed up in your hands when stroking her/him… and you need to be firm, kind, and empathic… and you need to get them off the bed and on the floor inside their beds… if only for the sake of your marriage, since that’s their space, and the bed is yours and your husband’s/partner’s, and animals should know this.
My dog gets to go on my bed periodically, too much and she dominates and growls when I move in my sleep, too little and she feels left out, so, now and then, when she’s not too well, I let her up and massage her hip gently. Dogs put it on as well, and the more you spoil, the more they put it on, boundaries are necessary, or their nerves will stretch to breaking point and they will get bad tempered. and every dog will bite, even it’s owner, if it is too spoiled.
At our dog training club years ago, we had a dog that took of it’s loving owners finger… because it was far too indulged. So, please, a little firmer, and the nervousness will evaportate. All dogs are attuned to ghosts, as are cats. Animals in general, are more attuned to the paranormal side than we are, they never had it talked out of them, never got ridiculed for it.
Your dogs wont fear their predecessors, unless you make it happen. and spoiling them is doing that, and your old dog is making you aware, and making them aware, and there may well be a bit of spiritual jealousy around.
Do yourself a favour, make boundaries, and stick to them, and you will get the best of both,visits from your past dogs, and a more accepting and relaxed attitude from your current dogs. You make the rules, so reap the results, remake them now, and make room for everyone.
Smiles
JJ:-)
no edit, in hurry, saw this entry and had to make instant response… going out, no time to spell and grammar check
January 31st, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Hi. I’m Autistic, and I have a story too. My dog Sunshine was put down about 3 years ago, and I miss her very much.
I’m coming to my point:
We’ve had a lot of dogs during my lifetime, and my mom has told me that whenever one of our dogs has died, she’s had a dream about them soon after they’ve gone.
Now this is my point:
I wonder if my mom’s ability has passed on to me. This is because after Sunshine died, I had a dream the night after she was put down.
This is how I remember it:
I was standing in the field outside my house, and then suddenly, Sunshine was lying on the ground in front of me. she looked like she was dead, but then she stood up. She was alive! I threw a tennis ball for her for a while, and then she ran away from me, out across the field and out of sight behind a hill.
That’s all I remember. What do you think?