The Year of the Dog:
Dogs are born under the sign of idealism and no matter what size or shape they come in, a Dog’s honesty and loyalty is there for all to see. Whether a stray down on his luck or a Cruft’s champion of champions, the eternally touching expression in a Dog’s eyes is invariably one of unconditional devotion. Few animal signs have such a wide range of influences as Man’s Best Friend and a Dog’s many faceted outlook is perfectly described by the 16th century vicar and natural historian, the Rev. Edward Topsell. He wrote: “There be some Dogs which bark and do not bite, Dogs which bark and bite, and some which bite bitterly before they bark.”Champion of the underdog, the Chinese see Dogs as men and women of the left strong advocates for change and social reform. Indeed, most Dog people will seek out injustice and fight it with every means possible. Once a Dog has been given a task worthy of his or her trust, no other animal sign can equal their stubborn determination to see it through at all costs. Equality, freedom and justice are what Dogs fight for, and they demand that their open and sometimes blunt voice is heard.
It is always worth remembering that once you have earned a Dog’s trust something that will seldom be given lightly, you may count on them for anything. A Dog will move mountains to carry out a task, or prove their worth. It must stressed that for all their warmth and devotion, Dogs will not easily forgive or forget an act of cruelty. Mistreat a Dog and you will find yourself no longer the object of their devotion. In cases where Dogs have been badly abused the advice is to take great care when building up a relationship. It may be the case that the Dog in question might never fully overcome their grievances. Dogs feel hurt very deeply and they have little or no technique for dealing with long term emotional pain.
Stubborn, watchful and often defensive, Dogs are quick to criticise our lack of concern for the world’s injustices. Fear of not being thought to do their best frequently causes a Dog to become anxious. A Dog will often speak out of turn and appear cynical at times, often unaware that those around are doing their best. The Dog’s main ambition is to please. Failure to be thought well of might swiftly lead a Dog into a state of anxiety, which they find almost impossible to escape from. This in turn leads a Dog to respond to life’s setbacks with more pessimism than is normally thought to be healthy. Faced with uncertainty or lack of purpose, Dogs will never fully distinguish the wood for the trees. Although Dogs might easily make money, often huge sums, it will never bring the comforts of security it does for many others. In fact, Dogs care virtually nothing for wealth and place their only high premium on personal relationships.
The three phases of a Dog’s life will all be affected by the undercurrent of anxiety. Dog children will act dutifully and stay close to home and to parents. The middle period often calls for flexibility, a quality which Dogs find difficult unless there is a true purpose to it, and may be a bit uphill. Old age offers no respite, adding a sad but true reflection on the old expression it’s a Dog’s life. Dogs may console themselves with the fact that of all the signs, they are noble beyond compare.
