Two days after I put my companion dog down due to her suffering with congestive heart failure, she appeared to me spontaneously in the early morning hour in a lucid dream state.  In other words, while sleeping I became conscious of her appearing in front of me and I was not currently dreaming...just a sudden awareness she was there in front of me. There was no story or animation prior to her sudden appearance in my conscious and she was not alone, she was with another dog.  I clearly recognized her and next to her, as if posing for a photograph, was another dog exactly like her, however, this dog was a reddish color, whereas my Amber is a cream color.  I think it might have been a sibling or a parent that crossed over before Amber that met her.  I feel she came to me in a dream state to let me know she was not alone, and to lessen my grief.  I went on to paint the picture so I would always have it as a memory.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?     No  

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?   No                                   

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?   No                   

Did you see the deceased?   Yes    She looked just as she did the last time I was with her.

How clearly did the deceased appear?   solid

How much of the deceased did you see?    all of her

Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?   same age

How healthy did the deceased appear to be?    very healthy, sitting on her hind legs

Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?    no

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?    No                

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?   No     It was like they were sitting for a photograph portrait.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?   No

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?    Experience was definitely real    I believe because both of my parents have come to me in similar ways.  My mother came in a lucid dream.  She just suddenly, spontaneously appeared and it woke me up.  My father came to me audibly...just after I woke up in the morning I heard his familiar calling to my dog, Amber.  He did not call her by her name as he had Alzheimer's and could not remember he name, but he would make up silly, funny sounding names for her, each time it was a different name...that is what I heard a silly nickname he made up, as if calling her to him.

Was the experience dream like in any way?    Uncertain   

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?    Yes    I felt we were connected by Love that endured no matter I was here and she was someplace else.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?    It was just a wonderful gift and I am very grateful for it; there was no down side.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?    Yes    Reconfirms existing belief that we are spiritual beings having a earthly experience.   

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?    Yes    I now believe without a doubt that animals have souls.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?    Yes    I know what happened appeared to be and felt very real and I consider it a gift in a time of need.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?   No

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?    No   

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?       No   

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?        No   

Did you become aware of future events?           No   

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?     No   

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?    Uncertain   

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?    Yes    There was another dog that sat with my deceased dog.

Did you see a light?    No   

Did any part of your experience seem to occur in a place other than the location described above?   No   

Have you shared this experience with others?    Yes    Shared with four people, three of which believed me as they are open-minded people and know me well.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?    No   

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?    The little do that accompanied my dog was red and when my dog was a puppy she had red ears, so I think it is likely that little dog was from her dog family.

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?    No   

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?   No   

Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event?      Yes    I have had a dramatic event take place when I was in nature, similar to an outer body experience.  It lasted only a few seconds but it sort of felt as though I were so conscious that I was seeing things from the perspective of a higher being and the message I got from it was that everything is connected.