Wolves are powerful yet mysterious creatures that can have strong spiritual resonance when they appear in our dreams.
However, they can carry both positive and negative symbolism, depending on the dreamer, so understanding the dream can be challenging.
To help, in this post, we discuss dreams about a wolf to give you insight into the meaning of what you saw while you slept.
Dreams about Wolf: Wolf symbolism and associations
Since dream interpretation is so subjective, and the meaning of each dream can depend as much on the dreamer as what was seen in the dream, before we look at trying to understand dreams about wolves, first, we need to think about what wolves mean to different people.
Wolves can be seen in both a positive and a negative light. For many, wolves are feared creatures that represent danger.
Even though most people no longer live in close proximity to wolves, they are still imprinted on our collective consciousness as something to be feared and avoided.
They also symbolize treachery and betrayal, and all these things can be seen in folk tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood”, “The Three Little Pigs” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” as well as in expressions such as “ a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Wolves are wild, uncivilized and untamed, and this can also provoke fear, but at the same time, these can be seen as positive traits, evoking freedom, authenticity, purity and a lack of corruption.
In Native American traditions, wolves are also associated with leadership, intelligence and instinct, and another positive characteristic is deep loyalty due to their devotion to the pack. Similarly, wolves can represent teamwork, cooperation and good communication.
Since wolves can symbolize different things to different people, to decipher your dream of a wolf, you should think carefully about what they represent to you.
So now let’s have a look at some of the most common ways to interpret dreams about wolves.
Possible interpretations of dreams about wolves
1. Hidden urges and desires
Depending on how you feel when you see the wolf in your dream, it can represent your desire to break free from your constraints.
As we noted above, wolves can represent our wild side, and dreaming of one can tell us that we are feeling oppressed, either in our daily lives or in a spiritual sense.
Do you feel that you are unable to express yourself fully or aren’t able to be yourself? Perhaps you are being forced to conform in some way to live up to somebody else’s expectations, but the person you are forced to be doesn’t represent the real you.
Alternatively, maybe you are being forced to follow a path that you wouldn’t choose for yourself – for example, you may find yourself being pushed into a career or a relationship that you know deep down is not what you want.
Spend time thinking deeply about these possibilities to see if they ring true. Try to discover which part of your personality is being suppressed or which of your dreams you are not pursuing.
Then, once you understand where this dream is coming from, you can take steps to liberate your true self and find your true identity.
2. Dreaming of being a lone wolf – independence or exclusion
In some ways similar dream to the dream above, if you dream of yourself as a lone wolf, it can have two distinct interpretations – so it’s important to try to remember how you felt in the dream.
If you felt strong, happy and confident, it could tell you that you are self-reliant and don’t need others – or it could be that, as in the dream above, your subconscious is expressing a desire for more independence.
However, there is another possibility. If you felt sad or lonely in the dream, the message could be that you are feeling excluded socially and that you feel a desire for more social integration and acceptance.
In this case, you should seek more contact with others – so spend more time with friends and family or look for opportunities to make new social connections and build your social circle.
3. Somebody near you can’t be trusted
Just like the wolf in the tale of Little Red Riding Hood or the proverbial “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, to some people, wolves can symbolize somebody who is trying to deceive you, who shouldn’t be trusted and who isn’t quite what they seem.
This means if you dream of a wolf, especially one slinking or lurking around, it should serve as a warning that somebody is about to betray you.
Pay attention to the behavior of those around you and consider who could gain something by cheating or tricking you. Be careful who you trust since not everybody has your best interests at heart.
4. Being chased by wolves – being pursued by fears or anxieties
Being chased by a wolf or a pack of wolves in your dream indicates that you are being pursued by your fears and anxieties.
Sometimes, we are only aware on a subconscious level or a semi-conscious level of the things that play on our minds, and since we don’t realize there is a problem, we bury the issues rather than facing up to them.
For this reason, this dream could be telling you that certain things are bothering you, and you need to take time – perhaps through deep thought and meditation – to find out what they are.
Then, once you understand what is causing your anxiety, you will be better able to face it head-on.
Another possibility is that you are fully aware of the problems you are running from – and that now is the time to stop running and deal with them.
When we refuse to face our problems, they don’t go away but rather continue to pursue us, so the best option is to confront them and find a way to deal with them.
5. Being attacked by a pack of wolves – being ganged up on
If you dream about being attacked by a pack of wolves, it may mean that you are being ganged up on. This could be by any group of people in your life, including by your family, friends or even the people you work with.
You are the only one who can understand why you are having this dream, but as always, if you spend time thinking about how it relates to your life, you will be in a better position to find a solution.
6. You as a wolf in the pack – you can rely on those around you
If you dream of yourself as a wolf in a pack – or even as yourself surrounded by a pack of friendly wolves – it is probably a dream of friendship, loyalty and trust.
It means you can trust those around you since they will remain loyal to you, so you shouldn’t feel alone or worry about people letting you down. You are surrounded by loyal friends who will do anything to help or protect you when you are in need.
7. Being bitten by a wolf – betrayal
Dreaming of being bitten by a wolf is another dream of betrayal, so if you have this dream, you should beware.
This dream means that somebody close to you is about to do you wrong, whether it’s a close friend, your partner or somebody in your family.
This kind of dream can be particularly upsetting or disturbing, but at least it can help you prepare yourself mentally for the disappointment and betrayal you are about to suffer.
8. Hearing a wolf howling – subconscious anxiety
Hearing a wolf howling in the distance in real life is a disquieting experience that makes you feel full of foreboding.
For this reason, it’s easy to understand why the distant and unseen wolf howling in a dream can represent subconscious anxieties that are playing on your mind without you being aware of what they are.
If you have a dream like this, spend time analyzing your deepest feelings to see what is causing your anxiety.
Is it something that you can do something about or is it just a vague sense of misgiving? If you can affect what’s happening, try to take action. If not, consider whether your fears are unfounded and can safely be put to one side.
9. Having a wolf as a pet – loyalty
Dreaming of owning a pet wolf is another dream of loyalty. Wolves are extremely difficult to tame, but if you manage to befriend one, you will have gained a fiercely loyal companion.
This means there is someone in your life who you can trust completely – but you should also make sure you return this loyalty in equal measure.
10. A female wolf – family and mothering instinct
Female wolves with young pups will defend their family with great ferocity, and dreaming of this may be related to your loyalty to your family or the strong maternal – or even paternal – instinct in you.
Perhaps this dream can remind you of the importance of family – and how far you would go to defend them if they were in danger.
On the other hand, it could be a dream telling you that you are ready to start a family of your own – and this is equally true for men as for women!
Many interpretations, both positive and negative
As we have seen, a dream about a wolf can have both positive and negative meanings, and the meaning of the dream depends largely on you and how you felt during the dream.
To decipher what you saw, spend time in deep thought and meditation to try to understand how the dream relates to you and the challenges you are currently facing. Then, by trusting your instinct and your intuition, the correct interpretation of the dream will be revealed.