Dog in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and Ibn Shahin

106 passages from 5 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream it is a foolish man who is bold in committing sins; and if it barks, then he is a foolish man of hideous nature.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

(And whoever sees) a dog that bit him or scratched him will suffer harm from his enemy in proportion to the pain, and perhaps he will fall ill.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

(And whoever sees) a dog tearing his clothes, then a fool is slandering him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

And if he does not hear its barking, then he is an enemy who will abandon his enmity for a trifling thing.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

And the bitch is a base woman from a wicked, obstinate people.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

And a puppy is a beloved child.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, pp. 295–296

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

As for the dog, it is interpreted in several ways. Whoever sees it, then it is an enemy without ambition, yet he has some compassion in his hostility. The female (bitch) is a woman without judgement. The black dog is an enemy from among the Arabs, and the white dog is an enemy from among the non-Arabs.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 209–210

And whoever sees that a dog has torn his cloth, then it indicates a decrease.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 210–211

Whoever sees a dog barking at him, then it indicates hearing base speech from an enemy of lowly origin without ambition, such that he obtains from that displeasure.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 209–210

And the flesh of a dog is interpreted as the wealth of the enemy, especially if he eats from it, for then he will triumph over his enemy.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 210–211

Whoever sees that a dog has bitten him, then it indicates the occurrence of pain, blame, distress of the breast, and hardship from his enemy.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 209–210

And al-Kirmani said: whoever sees that he is setting a dog upon a dog, then he is setting one enemy against another to repel the other enemy, and he will attain [his aim].

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 210–211

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

(The dog) There is disagreement about its interpretation. Some of them said it is a slave, and it is said it is a tyrannical, foolish man, a reviler, when it barks.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

The black one is an Arab, and he is a weak enemy of little chivalry.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

The female dog is a lowly woman. If it bites him, something hateful will befall him from it.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

Whoever has his clothes torn by a dog, then a lowly man will tear at his honour.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

Whoever eats the flesh of a dog will prevail over an enemy and obtain some of his wealth.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

Drinking its milk is fear.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 374–381

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

A houshold Dog signifyes farms, servants, and possessions to come:

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

an other mans dog fawning on us, signifyeth craft and deceit against us by his Master:

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

byting and barking at us, signifie injuries, adversities, and oftentimes Agues.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

Little Ladies dogs, signifie delight and pastime.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

Freud and Jung, a separate view

Here the nocturnal devourers of bodies, the dogs and jackals, become the assistants of the composition, of the reproduction.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

Creuzer has also concerned himself with this idea, and has come to the conclusion that the astral form of the dog ceremony, that is, the appearance of Sirius, the dog star, at the period of the sun’s highest position, is related to this in that the introduction of the dog has a compensatory significance, death being thereby made, reversedly, equal to the sun’s highest position.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

Kinds and conditions of Dog

greyhounds (hunting dogs)

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

Grayhounds going to the Chase, are good to all, and signifie actions and imployments ensuing:

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

to such as are accused, and are in suit of law they are il, but returning from hunting, they take away feare, and hinder a workeman.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The Second Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

two dogs fighting

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

A rare anecdote: It is related that a man came to Ibn Sirin and said, "I have doubts about my wife on account of two men, and last night I saw two dogs fighting over her private parts, then they bit her and wounded her." Ibn Sirin looked at his face and saw him terrified and changed in colour, so he said, "Accept the interpretation of your dream and do not be alarmed, for your wife found nothing with which to pluck her hair, so she used a pair of scissors, and it wounded her, and its mark is upon her now." So the man went off hastily and examined her, and found her just as he had said. He asked her about it, and she informed him of the matter exactly as described.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, pp. 261–262

black dog

Freud and Jung, a separate view

the dog who is the same as the devil, the tempter, in whose hellish fires Faust has singed his wings.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. IV The Song of the Moth

barking of a dog

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

And the barking of a dog is regret from a wrongdoer.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 195–196

77 more passages on this symbol are in the database and used by the interpreter.