I had a dream the other night where I was hired as a caretaker for a rich family who owned a small private "zoo" in their backyard. After seeing the seals and the orangutan, my assignment was to take care of their fully grown, male Lion. Over time, I became attached to the lion and the lions best friend was the female orangutan. A lot of times I would catch them cuddling together in the orangutans "resting box" at her exhibit. One day I was walking the lion on a leash around the grounds, playing with him and wrestling around. I was taking him to the pool that the family built specifically for him, when my younger brother appeared. He was assigned to care for their little brown and white Pomeranian puppy. He lets go of the puppy's leash and the dog runs to me and my lion to greet us. I continuously push the dog away to keep a safe distance between it and the lion. My brother has disappeared at his point. The lion lays on his back as I give him a belly rub. Then, I take the leash and collar off of the lion so that he can swim, and nonchalantly, the lion stretches over (like a cat would after a nap. He was still on his back) and Bites the head off of the puppy. I was shocked, but I was also scared because the animal I was responsible for had eaten the family's beloved dog!! There was no blood, no gore. Just the body of the puppy still laying on his back waiting for his belly rub. I have no idea what this means, but I have a feeling that it holds some sort of significant meaning. I've researched every site I can find but non really give a clear explanation. Help?

The bottom line in your dream is: in life, you have found value in being strong and brave. So much so, it's become a habit. In other areas of your life where you want to be more open, vulnerable, intimate...the courageous lion part of you won't allow it. Look over your life and see where and how you've had to be tough, and how this toughness has kind of taken over. Hope this makes some sense for you. If you have any questions or comments, let me know. God bless.

Dream interpretation requires knowing something about the waking life background that generated it. Nevertheless, there are a number of common symbols in your dream which are defined on his site which will guide you to its meaning. Here are the links:

zoo: dreamdoctor.com/index.php?option=com_dre...task=details&id=2132

ape: dreamdoctor.com/index.php?option=com_dre...y&task=details&id=69

lion: dreamdoctor.com/index.php?option=com_dre...task=details&id=1179

puppy: dreamdoctor.com/index.php?option=com_dre...task=details&id=1509

bit: dreamdoctor.com/index.php?option=com_dre...&task=details&id=205

So, the question is: who do those animals represent in your waking life. The definitions provide clues. The lion is likely to be a man in your life who you view as powerful, powerful enough to "bite someone's head off" (which in the dream is literal, but is really a metaphor.) There are other clues to his identity. He is someone you feel that you can "walk with," "play", "wrestle" and "put a leash on" (i.e., control on some level.) The next person you have to identify is the puppy in your dream. He is likely to be someone who is younger, more innocent and vulnerable. You describe him as a "family friend", so it could be a friend of your younger brother (or someone else in your family)... or it might even be your younger brother. The fact that your brother has him on a leash is another clue as to his identity.

As for the action in the dream, the lion "bites the head off" the puppy. Dreams are symbolic expressions of your feelings about your waking life at the time of the dream. So, think back to when you had it. Did "the lion" in your waking life "bite the head off" of a family friend, someone younger and less powerful that you know? The fact that he does it so casually suggests that it may have been a incisive verbal putdown. Blood in dreams is a metaphor for pain. The fact that there was no blood suggests that the "puppy" may not have even known what hit him.

The feelings in your dream provide another clue as to the event that generated your dream. Feelings in dreams are never disguised, so how you feel IN your dream is how you feel about its subject in your waking life. In other words, when that more powerful man in your life "bit the head off of" this other "puppy-like" guy, it shocked you... AND you felt scared because you felt responsible for keeping the lion under control and you could not.

It is possible that this waking life event occurred at the time you had the dream OR it could be a reflection of your feeling that it COULD happen. Either way, the message in your dream is that you fear that you cannot control this "lion" in your waking life and you fear that he is capable of "hurting" others. The dream does not suggest that the lion will turn on you, but the fact that he is capable of "biting someone's head off" reflects your feelings that he cannot be completely trusted to control his attacks or perhaps his anger.

Please let me know if that interpretation resonates with you. I hope it helps!