The Dog: loyal, fair and protective
The Dog is the faithful friend of the Chinese zodiac: honest, kind and always on your side. Read about Dog personality, love, work, friends and clashes, plus every Dog year.
The full deep dive
The story of the Dog
The Dog was a strong swimmer, but it loved the water so much that it stopped to play and bathe in the river during the Great Race. It came eleventh, happy and clean.
Personality
Dogs are loyal, sincere and deeply fair. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and will defend friends and causes with everything they have. They are good listeners and trustworthy keepers of secrets.
In love
The Dog is sincere and devoted in love, giving their whole heart to the right person. They need honesty and reassurance, and in return they offer a love that lasts.
At work
Dogs are drawn to work with meaning: law, teaching, healthcare, social work and community service. They are happiest when they know their work helps someone.
Something to watch
The Dog can be anxious and quick to expect the worst. Learning to rest and trust that things may turn out well is the Dog’s great gift to itself.
Friends, secret friend and clash
- Friend group: the Dog shares its sunflower yellow colour on the wheel with the Tiger and the Horse. Together they are the Protectors, and they understand each other easily.
- Secret friend: the Rabbit. This quiet, loyal bond is shown by a matching jewel on the inner ring.
- Clash: the Dragon, directly opposite on the wheel. The two pull in opposite directions, which can mean friction, or real growth if both are willing to learn.
You can read more in Friend groups, secret friends and clashes.
Element and season
The Dog’s own fixed element is Earth, and it is a Yang sign. It belongs to autumn on the wheel. Every Dog year also carries a year element, which changes in a ten-year cycle, so a Fire Dog and a Water Dog share the same heart but show it differently. See The five elements for how the elements work.
Lucky things
Traditionally, the Dog’s lucky numbers are 3, 4 and 9, its lucky colours are red, green and purple, and its lucky flowers are rose and cymbidium orchid.
Dog years
Your animal changes at Lunar New Year, not on 1 January. If you were born in January or early February, check the dates below carefully: you may belong to the animal before.
| Year | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Dog | 14 February 1934 | 3 February 1935 |
| Fire Dog | 2 February 1946 | 21 January 1947 |
| Earth Dog | 18 February 1958 | 7 February 1959 |
| Metal Dog | 6 February 1970 | 26 January 1971 |
| Water Dog | 25 January 1982 | 12 February 1983 |
| Wood Dog | 10 February 1994 | 30 January 1995 |
| Fire Dog | 29 January 2006 | 17 February 2007 |
| Earth Dog | 16 February 2018 | 4 February 2019 |
| Metal Dog | 3 February 2030 | 22 January 2031 |
Sources and perspectives
- Theodora Lau, The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes
- Derek Walters, The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology
- Hong Kong Observatory, the Chinese calendar