Had a bad hiking dream.

So I dreamed about an animal attack the other night. This is lengthy:

There I was, hiking along an abondoned logging road, all by myself. It was summertime and I was enjoying it. For some reason I was carrying a hunting rifle, which is odd because I dislike the things; too heavy, too cumbersome. I don't think I was actually hunting.

Next, I heard a large group of animals behind me. I turned around and saw a large pack of wild dogs: no owners, no collars, and definitely not wolves. They were heading up the trail fast and I wanted to avoid them. When I looked forward again I saw a tiny shack at a Y in the trail, not far away. A dog barked behind me, and I saw one streaking forward, but I thought I could run to the shack before it caught me, so I did. I slammed the door shut in time for the chaser to plow into it. (In real life, I know we're not supposed to run from predators...)

Ah, shelter! Then I noticed that the large window was missing, and that the dogs could just jump right in. The pack now had the place surrounded, and the sound of their growls and barks was omnipresent and didn't stop for the rest of the dream. I stepped in front of the window to defend myself. I remember one dog ran forward, and that I took aim (it took a second or two, I'm not a fast shot with rifles) & fired. It yelped and ran from its wound like it was chasing its tail. The scene repeated itself two or three times, then a huge brute of a dog broke down not just the door but also the wall behind it. I was exposed. As the dog sort of staggered and looked for me, I aimed and fired again. Then I woke up just before the rest of the pack got me.

Normally I'd say a dream like this is indicative of hidden anxieties, but I can't say I've ever had a deep-rooted fear of wild dogs while hiking. I've run across packs on two occasions, but nothing came of it. I also don't shoot firearms a lot - maybe once or twice a year. It's the first time I've shot anything in a dream. It's also maybe one of only two or three hiking dreams I've ever had.

Does anybody have thoughts about this? It was a very vivid dream.

The heavy breathing (from running) and phallic firing gun imagery coupled with the animalistic growls are indicative of unmet, overpowering primal urges and needs.

Mmmmmmmm

I'd guess this is not related to hiking but to some other anxieties in your life - the economic situation, perhaps? If this were my dream I'd interpret it as all the things in my life that I'm struggling with are overpowering me and breaking down the walls I've built to keep myself sane...oh, but wait, this wasn't all about me <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Sounds pretty scary, nevertheless! I'll bet you were relieved to wake up and not be in that shack.

I always find it interesting after the fact when I think about dreams like that that its's always a situation that's familiar, yet not quite "normal" - as you mention , you 'd never just
be carrying a rifle. Heck, don't think of it as a hiking dream, think of it as a bad dogs and heavy guns dream <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Where do (did) you have your 401K? Did the dog that knocked the door (and wall) down have an uncanny resemblence to Bernie Madoff? Did you get him good?

Is it possible that what you were seeing wasn't wild dogs but jackals -- you know, like Madoff? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I think that's quite common in bad dreams, that it keeps alternating between hope and fear. First your safe, then your not, then you are. It's gotta be healthy though, otherwise we wouldn't do it. The night after I hit a moose I had this very vivid dream that it got up and charged me after I hit it, but it stopped short and didn't actually hit the car again, but then it wanted to break into the car and kick my ass. Can't say I could blame it really.

I've had falling dreams where I never actually hit, but I did bounce way the heck up there to fall again and again. I think hitting would have been better. lol. I did actually land once, but I had fallen out of bed. I remember falling out of a tree as a kid, landing on a lower branch, and also being dropped off the veranda by my older sister while sitting in this small chair, and the legs getting stuck in the ground. To this day I am not sure if those events were real or just a dream. My sister denies everything of course. lol

Then there are rescue dreams, where you rescue these people into a cave from a charging dinosaur, or out of the classroom from a fire, or out a a pool from drowning, but there are more and more people, and then you find out they're all just lining up to sneak around and jump back in again. Ungrateful *******s.

I think that last one is a religious dream. Not sure. Have fun with your dreams. Presumably as long as they don't look like your mom or dad you're pretty much ok. If they do, then you are probably just as messed up and crazy as the rest of us. Good luck with that. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In my way of thinking a dream is more or less a pleasent experience. What you had was a nightmare. I think the dogs are symbolic of something deeply rooted in your mind. Maybe you need to confront the demon within. Oh! and carry a big gun just in case. I'm not a shrink, so don't listen to any of my advise. I wouldn't want to mess you up for the rest of your life. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> LOL

You weren't reading those Silas Turnbo stories I linked to the other day were you. Some of those could give you dreams like that.

When I was a kid in LA, we had a bunch of dogs that disappeared. They busted out of the fence and ran off. After a few months we started hearing news reports of packs of domestic dogs running loose and wild in the foothills near where we lived.

One day, many months later, one of the dogs showed up. Over the course of the next week a few more came back. All were torn up, worn out, and scrawny.

They never did say where they went or what they'd been doing but I suspected I'd already heard about it...

Bill

I think they do that in AK anyway. Don't they. Maybe Wolfeye needs to confront his brothers head on. Be Top Dog....

Lol!

All interesting theories. It could be stress displacement. The only thing that's stressing me in life is job hunting, though it's not too hard on the nerves because I still have a job. I like the "it's just a dogs & big guns dream" theory.

I hadn't noticed before, but yeah, bad dreams tend to be like rollercoasters: safe, in danger, repeat. In college I used to get chasing dreams once in a while. After being chased I'd always turn around and start fighting, but then my fists would be completely weak, or my gun would fire blanks. Then the chaser would laugh.

Maybe I'm playing too many videogames? Or watching too many action movies? I tend to become a homebody during winter.

Just great....now the next time I'm hiking alone I will worry about packs of wild dogs coming up behind me......worse yet I 'll be thinking of this at night UNDER a tarp. Now I'll never get to sleep:)

I have gotten the chasing dreams also, but I usually end up with no pants. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

So, that explains it, you were dropped as a child.
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />