Dream about a bear.

Last night I had a very vivid dream. I had let my three dogs out and went out to the porch to call them in. A black bear came lumbering up and I became extremely scared, even though the bear wasn't acting aggressive. I somehow managed to get the bear inside the house and hold the screen door closed behind it. I started to yell inside to my husband who was upstairs and told him to bring a shotgun down to kill it. He came down and started loading the gun while I'm holding the door shut so the bear doesn't get out and kill me or my dogs (although I was also worried about my husband inside). As he's preparing to kill the bear, he notices it's wearing a collar and a tag with a neighbor's name and number on it, like it was a pet or a protected bear that was being monitored. We decide to call the number instead of killing the bear. I then notice one of my dogs come limping up to the house and see that he was clearly injured (his back and paw) by the bear. In my sleep I feel incredible pain by those bc I love my animals deeply. Any guesses?

Very interesting. I used to have dreams very similar when I was an adolescent. And I mean very similar - I was in the house and looked outside and saw a bear or sometimes a dinosaur or some other kind of predator, and when I asked my mom where the dog was she said it was outside. Then I went out to bring the dog in. Often though my mom in the dream was cruel and at least as dangerous as whatever was outside - I remember once she was chopping something on a cutting board and doing it violently, with glazed-over eyes and she didn't seem remotely concerned about the safety of the dog. But then that fit my mom's character in real life as well, so your dreams would probably be different.

I don't think I ever ended up outside with the dog while trapping the predator in the house. Thought it's possible - I do recall once a very fast and metallic-colored dinosaur did get in, but I think I was also inside with the dog. Not sure now.

I've studied dreams and psychology a lot, and ended up realizing that the predators can represent simply danger - and the dog or dogs could represent themselves or possibly you. If you have children they might represent them.

These kind of dreams seem to present the idea of dangers out in the real world (or maybe in the family itself, as in my case) that you can't protect someone from. I know they're common in adolescence, when a person is beginning to step out into the real world more, not just the protected environments of home and school, but I can see where a mother might also dream such things maybe for their children's safety, or possibly your own - maybe if you've just moved into a new house? Or maybe your situation has changed - is it a new marriage or something? Possibly you're wondering how safe you are or the dogs or kids are with your husband? I think in my case my mom was the real danger, and largely because she had failed to teach me things she should have to keep myself safe, and there was no father around to do that either. I had grown up too sheltered and so was unprepared for facing people and situations in the real world - had to learn that stuff the hard way on my own. I have no idea if that part would apply in your case - though it depends on what the symbols in the dream represent and several other factors.

Often bears or other natural predators can represent instincts - base animal impulses that are welling up in the dreamer's life and threatening them. Maybe some really intense emotions or reactions, maybe a desire to do violence, or the threat of violence being done to the dreamer or someone close to them that they feel protective of.

I think in a way they just represent fears. I realized recently that, since facing many of my own fears and toughening up emotionally/psychologically I haven't dreamed of bears or attack dogs, and those have always been my worst nightmare creatures (with dinosaurs being of equal importance when I was younger). Or actually I could modify that - I did go through a period of bear dreams a few years back (at the time when I was shedding the fears I think, and learning about Stoicism, which is how I conquered my fears) but I had learned to squarely face my fears and not turn away from them, and instead to move fearlessly toward frightening figures in dreams, arms open and beaming pure love at them, and the bears would then transform into friendly animals (often my former dogs) and become helpers rather than threats.
Fear is something you must deal with, and you deal with it by becoming more courageous, not by increasing protective measures. Not only becoming more courageous, but also learning how to deal with dangerous situations. Children (or people in general) can't be over-sheltered or it creates spoiled and helpless adults who are afraid of everything - instead you must teach them to face challenges and how to deal with danger. That's something fathers tend to do, whereas it's more common for mothers to try to shelter children.

Im wondering if the dream has to do with a situation with your neighbor that has become a “ bear” (difficult situation). You ask your husband to get involved. He loads the shotgun ( use his authority) maybe go at it, “guns blazing”. You then realize there’s a number on the bear. Maybe you can “call your neighbor out” on this issue. Have a conversation instead of going in “guns blazing” Your dogs might represent close companions or friends that have been hurt by your neighbor.