I Dream of Dogs and Freeways

I have had the second dream that involved a rottweiler in as many weeks. I also seem to have developed a theme of tangled freeways in my dreams. My first rottweiler dream was more of a dream fragment, in which I was in a field of yellow flowers and standing about 50 feet away from me was a large rottweiler. The dog was facing to my left and looking back at me. The dream was from my perspective (I could not see myself) and the dog and I stared into each others eyes, neither of us moving. I was not sure whether I should be frightened or whether the dog was meant to lead me someplace, since it appeared to be headed in a specific direction.

Last night, I dreamt that Connor and I were being driven (we were in the back seat) along the Houston freeways. There was also a faceless passenger. We were on a journey and did not know if we were headed in the right direction, or not. The tangled cloverleaf of the freeway loomed above and ahead of us. Along the way we would spot dogs and the faceless driver of the car would pull over and I would get out and round up the dogs on the side of the freeway. I managed to get a small terrier into the car and I really liked this dog. It reminded me of a favorite dog I had growing up. Then I retrieved a black puppy, a rottweiler. I placed this large puppy across Connor's lap, and he welcomed it, even though it was a bit dirty and unkempt. He rubbed it and lavished affection on the dog.

I think this dream represents a recent falling out between Connor and I that left me seething. Last night we made up and talked the issue through and I am sure that the problem was in part due to his teenage growing pains and in part due to my parental growing pains. I think the freeway journey is representative of the uncertainty we are facing as Connor grows up and our relationship inevitably changes. We may not know where we are going, but there is a certain comfort to at least being on the road together. I'm not as sure of the representation of the dogs. Since the rottweiler has come up twice, I am starting to think that it represents me or part of me. I think maybe the little dog was representative of Connor and the affection and love that I feel for him. In turn he felt an affinity for the rottweiler, in spite of the rough appearance. Through the years, I have had many dreams where I was on the freeway and not sure of where I was or where to exit. Given my woeful lack of navigational skills, this is not a surprising theme for me to have.