by Theodora Lau
Fire makes them more creative and pure in expression. They will be charged with super willpower and a natural honesty that people find hard to resist. Their outgoing character combined with the Dog’s basic faith and idealism will help them succeed in ambitious endeavors and overcome great barriers.
Earth Dog—1958, 2018
This Dog will be an impartial dispenser of sound advice and justice. An efficient and constructive thinker, he or she moves slowly and to good purpose. They are faithful to their beliefs but will bow to majority rule. Vigilant and careful, they will appreciate the proper use of money and power and will have a fixed scale of values from which they seldom deviate.
Quiet, kindhearted, yet secretive, they will understand how to inspire others and instruct them wisely. Yet because of their high moral standards and unfailing idealism, they tend to overperform and may demand excessive dedication and loyalty from others.
A good fighter and an equally good survivor, this Dog is practical and less sentimental. The realistic Earth Dogs will value their individualism and self-respect and will speak without reserve straight from the heart. They will not abuse powers bestowed upon them and will delegate duties with a keen eye toward other people’s potentials. They are never totally crushed by defeat nor overconfident in victory.
Compatibility and Conflict for the Dog
The Dog is part of the Third Triangle of Affinity, a group consisting of action-oriented signs who seek to serve humanity, promote universal understanding, and heighten communications. The Tiger, Horse, and Dog are good at establishing personal contacts and developing strong bonds with their fellow human beings. The signs in this trio relate well to each other and are basically honest, open, and motivated by idealism. Unorthodox at times but always honorable in intent, they act more on impulse and tend to heed their inner conscience rather than the dictates of convention. They provide their own counsel and inspire others to action through their high-spirited and aggressive personalities. Extroverted, energetic, and united against adversity and injustice, they will get along fabulously together.
Triangle of Affinity for the Dog
The Dog will be most compatible with the Horse, the Rabbit, and the Tiger. Dogs will have no conflict with the Rat, Snake, Monkey, Boar, or another Dog. Dogs will have difficulty understanding Roosters but will strive to stake out boundaries and coexist with them. The one that the Dog will never really be able to believe in is the overconfident Dragon. Neither will the Dog find it pleasant to tolerate the constant complaints of the indulgent Sheep. Likewise, the Dragon will be enraged when the Dog pours cold water over his or her grand designs, and the Sheep will call the Dog insensitive.
Dogs will encounter their greatest personality clashes with someone born in the year of the Dragon. Anyone whose ascendant is the Dragon (born between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.) will most likely also come into conflict with the Dog native. In the Circle of Conflict, the Dog and Dragon are on opposite sides, 180 degrees apart. They will have different opinions and outlooks, and it will be difficult for them to understand each other. Unless a Dog native is born during the hours of the Dragon or vice versa, there is little these two will have in common. Besides having different personalities and preferences, they will do things that may be counterproductive to each other, perhaps without meaning to. Unintentional as these actions may be, they tend to produce friction and disputes. They find it hard to relax in each other’s company and tend to doubt or question each other’s loyalties. It would be advisable for them to work through experienced mediators whom both of them respect.
The Dog’s season is autumn, and the Dragon rules in the spring. Metal, the Dog’s fixed element, is detrimental to Wood, the fixed element of the Dragon.
Circle of Conflict
Aside from the most compatible signs, the Tiger and Horse, and the least compatible, the Dragon, the other nine lunar signs are compatible or incompatible with the Dog to varying degrees.
Rat
The Rat has great respect for the friendly but pragmatic Dog. Because the two signs have different sets of priorities, the Dog does not contest the Rat in a struggle for dominance. Both know their limits and territories. They do not have any serious differences in outlook and will work together as a team when necessary. However, should the Rat clash with the Horse, the Dog will not take the Rat’s side, because most Dogs will vote for the Horse (or the Tiger) every time.
Ox
The Dog and Ox could do well together if they move in the same circles and have the same goals. The trouble is that they may not have great sympathy or attraction for one another. The Dog is warm, likable, and idealistic at the same time. The Ox is stern, determined, and loyal only to his or her ideals. The Ox can be uncompromising. These two could go their separate ways if the chemistry is not right. The congenial Dog may find the Ox too rigid and uncooperative unless they both champion the same cause. In a fight for justice or freedom, this could be a great duo. Otherwise, they move at different speeds.
Tiger
The Dog and Tiger make good companions. Each animal can rely on the other to support them through even the most difficult times. The Dog understands the Tiger’s emotional ways and knows when to give them space and when to give them support. The Tiger respects the Dog’s fair and balanced mind and will regularly seek him or her out for advice. The Dog and Tiger will find it easy to be honest with one another, even if their opinions are unpopular. As protectors, both animals understand that it takes courage to say what is in your heart.
Rabbit
The Dog and the Rabbit will have a compatible and rewarding union because they can establish trust and understanding with little effort. Both will do their share to make the relationship workable or else peacefully call a truce and make a graceful exit. When these two join forces, they will find harmony and happiness if neither is overly aggressive or demanding. The Rabbit is not combative but is a bit more selfish than the Dog. The Dog will rely on the Rabbit’s intelligent advice and his or her ability to take the middle of the road and avoid stress or conflict.
Dragon
The Dog and the Dragon have difficulty getting along because neither one likes to compromise their behavior. The Dragon is a performer who enjoys thinking outside the box and exaggerating a tale or two. The Dog is the ultimate realist who prefers to speak honestly rather than speculate. Therefore, trust does not come easily between the Dragon and the Dog. When the two animals are together, the Dog refuses to stroke the Dragon’s ego, and the Dragon sees the Dog’s conservative attitude as a wet blanket. The two need compatible ascendants to give them common ground.
Snake
The Snake and the Dog have mutual respect for each other and do not want confrontation if they can avoid it. They will be compatible and amicable to a degree, as the Dog is trustworthy, and the Snake’s ambition could do the Dog some good. The Dog will be loyal so long as the Snake is persevering, steadfast, and faithful. Snakes are able to imbue Dogs with their ideas and philosophies and will share the Dog’s idealistic outlook on life. The Dog is not overly possessive and will understand the Snake’s need for privacy when the Snake becomes introspective or secretive.
Horse
The Dog and the Horse are a very compatible match. The Horse enjoys the Dog’s friendship because the Dog’s opinions are honest. The Dog respects the Horse’s individualism and delights in hearing the Horse’s tales of adventure. These two will find a long-term match in every area of life and can depend on each other through the many stages of their lives. Each will look to the other for advice, but the Dog will be more likely to take the Horse’s words into consideration. The Horse tends to make decisions by intuition.
Sheep
The Sheep and the Dog may have few things in common, but they do share a mutual goodwill that keeps each on his or her own side of the fence. They work at different speeds and have different objectives. If Dogs are able to do their duty and fulfill their responsibilities, they couldn’t care less whether anyone likes them. Shee
p, on the other hand, need consensus and approval before they can act; they are always so worried about hurting others that sometimes they become fence-sitters. The Dog cannot and will not tolerate disloyalty and can be quite stern when the Sheep fails to promptly decide whom to support. The Sheep has difficulty taking sides and may want to please everyone, an attitude the Dog cannot comprehend.
Monkey
There should be no large challenges for dominance between the Monkey and Dog. They are guided by different priorities and values but tend to stay out of each other’s way if they have conflicting interests. The Monkey knows better than to pull the Dog’s tail, because the Dog is unrelenting once aroused. Dogs can be good-natured when it comes to the Monkey’s tricks and may not take the Monkey too seriously if they can benefit from the Monkey’s expertise. These two signs will enjoy friendly to warm relations if they share mutual goals and interests. However, the Dog is devoted to the Tiger and could be defensive and protective should the Monkey try to provoke the Tiger.
Rooster
The Rooster may worry the poor Dog with his or her high-flying acts of daring and nonsensical ideas. Dogs would like to be loyal friends and supporters of the Rooster’s splendid ideals, but sometimes they find it hard to understand the Chicken’s propensity for controversy. However, Dogs can be patient and understanding if Roosters prove that their motives are aboveboard and that they have everyone’s interests at heart. Once the Dog is convinced the Rooster’s intentions are honorable, he or she will accept the Rooster’s eccentric but exacting ways.
Dog
Dogs are quite compatible with each other unless they have strongly conflicting ascendants. They have congenial, reasonable outlooks and do not tend to look for fights once they have established their positions. Dogs can work together in a spirit of cooperation once they are aware of their respective responsibilities. They may snap at each other and be argumentative if they feel threatened, but common goals or enemies could keep them vigilant and united. However, if one has a dominant Dragon ascendant or an incompatible Sheep ascendant, there could be trouble.
Boar
The Boar is sincere and helpful by nature and will have no serious personality clashes with the Dog. Relationships will be acceptable and agreeable if the Pig displays moderation and modesty and does not impose on the Dog’s sense of propriety. The Dog could be critical of the Boar’s lifestyle and values and could tend to lecture the Pig or try to make them less indulgent. The thick-skinned Boar will not readily take the Dog’s well-meaning advice, but on the other hand, he or she will not be offended or discouraged, either. These two will get along moderately well, especially if they share the same loyalties.
The Dog and Its Ascendant Relationships
We all have a shadow that follows us throughout life. Sometimes it grows bigger than life, and at other times it shrinks until it disappears into the soles of our feet. Sometimes it walks tall before us, and on other occasions it lags behind like a sulking friend. In Chinese horoscopes, this constant partner, manifest or not, is our ascendant, the animal sign that rules the hour of our birth and becomes a comrade in our journey through life. We may view it as friend or foe, or even a little of both. It surfaces when we least expect and shows a better or worse side of our nature. We can often be confounded by the way we listen to our “other self,” and we can feel resentful of the significant influence it can exert on us. Actually, a personality has many rings around the center of the self, and each ring can have a different size, texture, and aura. When all these factors combine, they bring forth the unique individual that the person truly is.
Hence, a Dragon with an incompatible ascendant, like the Dog, has perhaps a more difficult inner struggle than a Snake born during the hours of the Snake. The double intensity of the Snake person will be easily understood by horoscope readers, while the more intricate Dragon/Dog may exhibit the contrary Dog and Dragon traits to varying degrees. There are many voices within each person, but in the end, only the individual determines which course he or she will follow, which choices he or she will make.
Following are the time periods governing the twelve ascendants, with descriptions of each ascendant’s effect on the Rat born during that period. The time of birth used to determine the ascendant is always the local time in the place of birth.
11 p.m. to 1 a.m. = Hours of the Rat
You can be so loving but not always so giving. That Rat ascendant is figuring out a monetary angle even as the Dog self is moralizing. You are considerate but inquisitive and careful about money—mainly your own. A rather crafty Dog with a charming disposition and many interests, you always put your loved ones first, and you dote on your family. However, you can be combative, critical, and very self-protective when your interests are threatened. Your shrewd assessment of people should be valued, for you have an intuitive sense of friend and foe.
1 a.m. to 3 a.m. = Hours of the Ox
With the Ox ruling the time of your birth, you may have a brusque personality but will possess unquestionable veracity. Although you have a spotless reputation, you could be too conservative and dour in many ways. You are a staunch defender of what you believe in, and you do not like to change your opinions or learn new tricks. But you are completely relaxed in the company of loved ones and can be a devoted friend to people you trust. Everyone can rely on your word, and you try never to let anyone down or break your solemn promises.
3 a.m. to 5 a.m. = Hours of the Tiger
Both signs here are tirelessly active and courageous, and your Tiger ascendant gives you extra sparkle and a great appetite for life. However, the Tiger could make the Dog in you more impatient and critical than it already is. This combination could produce a more motivated and passionate Dog with a keen sense of adventure and love of risk. With your noble heart, you will always come to the rescue of anyone less fortunate or bravely defend an unpopular cause you believe in.
5 a.m. to 7 a.m. = Hours of the Rabbit
The Rabbit ascendant may create a Dog who is all for détente. You tend to weigh the pros and cons carefully before taking sides. The gentle Hare is apt to be lighthearted and will not like baring fangs. You will just hop your way out of trouble and be more concerned with your creature comforts and bank account. Instead of chasing down the opposition and challenging them to a duel, you may organize a class-action lawsuit and seek huge punitive damages. All the while, you will maintain that Rabbit reserve and soft-spoken sophistication.
7 a.m. to 9 a.m. = Hours of the Dragon
The Dragon in you could produce a very idealistic Dog who will be a miracle worker or a missionary. You would perhaps qualify for sainthood if you could only accept other religions besides your own. Dragon and Dog are opposite signs, but they can create a dogmatic combination. You like things done your way and are not averse to using all the power you have to enforce the rules.
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. = Hours of the Snake
As a Dog with a Snake ascendant, you could be a quiet, religious person who guards your secrets well. Competent and mentally superior, you are an intellectual and a philosopher who rarely seeks or takes advice. Now and then, the Snake in you will bend the Dog’s sense of justice a little, so you will not be averse to taking shortcuts in order to achieve your goals. You have an air of mystery that others may find attractive or sexually appealing. When angry, you are fierce and unforgiving. Others would be unwise to tangle with you, especially where your ambitions are concerned. The Snake in you is vindictive.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. = Hours of the Horse
The happy Horse ascendant could make you a sharp, sunny Dog with stunningly quick responses. You never miss a cue and could be everyone’s best friend—but they shouldn’t ask you to prove it. You will go merrily on your way if imposed upon too often. Yet you are sportive, extremely intelligent, and astute, a pleasure to know and be with. The Horse makes the Dog less argumentative but more temperamental. You might have bursts of anger, but once they pass, you forget about them. You don’t carry grudges. You
r lightning-swift reflexes and keen powers of observation combined with your sense of fair play will be your main assets.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. = Hours of the Sheep
The soft-hearted and creative Sheep ascendant blesses your birth sign with a warm, sensitive nature that will be sympathetic to the woes of friends and strangers alike. You won’t lose the Dog’s keen sense of responsibility, but the Dog may keep one eye closed now and then to make allowances for the weaknesses of those you love. People will open their hearts and purses to you and seek your advice and assistance. You attract them with your understanding nature and your ability to relate or at least listen to their problems. Because of your generosity and helpful nature, you will never be found without friends and supporters.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. = Hours of the Monkey
The Monkey’s ascendant produces a Dog with a stretchable conscience and an unfailing wit. Nothing is impossible for you. You can be amusing, diverse, and versatile. With this splendid interlacing of character and ingenuity, you are never without an answer or a question. The Dog is less guarded because of the Monkey’s curiosity and enthusiasm. You will always have that positive mental attitude that winners are made of. And you are less likely to stay in one job or in one place for long, for the Monkey leads the Dog away from familiar grounds in search of adventure and knowledge.
