Know Your Dog's Starsign Secrets

Dogs have horoscopes, too. And knowing their zodiac sign will help you understand your canine companion. But first, meet Rosie.

MEET ROSIE THE CAPRICORN TERRIER

    

My name is Rosie Cotter and my owner, Sam, got me from Terrier Rescue when I was 12 weeks old, I am a Jack Russell cross and I'm now three and a half years old. My star sign is Capricorn.

I go to work with Sam every day to the stables and love hunting for mice in the straw beds. When I'm not hunting I'm busy running everywhere really fast and helping the staff. I love people, children and cats (I share my yard with 3 cats) I'm also very good with horses but I'm not too keen on other dogs. I'm always happy, though I can bark a bit too much sometimes.

When I'm not at the stables I like to go on walks but I have to stay on lead then as I have a habit of running after small furries in the woods. I also love a cuddle and happily share a sofa with my house cat Mitzi. I love playing with toys but my favourite game is football. I also do lots of tricks but only for treats!I love my life.

YOUR ARIES DOG

An adventurous dog who leaps before he looks. He’s good at standing up for himself. But also goes into loyal guarding mode if you are feeling unwell.

He is basically kind and,whatever his age, he’ll always remain a pup at heart. His super-abundance of energy sometimes gets him in trouble because he tends to dash first, look second - think third.

Never feel you’re being too strict,or crushing your dog’s high Aries spirit, by teaching him some good manners and 
basic commands that will keep him safe. 

You’ll enjoy each other’s company even more, and make him super-popular. 

Your Aries pal may pretend he doesn’t understand (or hear) you when you bawl his name across the park. But this dog’s one of the most intelligent hounds around.

Typical Aries dogs won’t have any spare fat on them. They’re likely to be crossbreeds or multimix mongrels. But he could be a clever Border Collie.

YOUR TAURUS DOG

She longs to please you, loves snuggling up on your knee (even if she’s a huge mastiff or Great Dane) and would do almost anything for a treat. Food is the key to getting the best out of this dog. But unless you are very careful, she could become overweight. She is a big-hearted, dog who often looks as if she is smiling.

Her greatest fault? That easygoing nature which can slump into laziness.

When burglars prowl your neighbourhood, you’ll be lucky if she raises a hairy eyebrow or breaks her snoring rhythm from the depths of her cosy bed.

She’s a cunning and surprisingly fast nicker of naughty morsels from human plates or cupboards, though. Keep her active - she’ll live longer and stay happier.

This dog always look big - even when she’s not overweight. She is stocky and wide-jawed with a strong, broad neck. She could be a Golden Retriever, a Bull Terrier or Bulldog. Or she could be a crossbreed with short hair, huge brown eyes and a waistline that needs a personal trainer(you)!

YOUR GEMINI DOG

Wants to communicate with you at all times. This is the dog who’s ready and waiting, ears bent forward, to greet you when you come home. He is a very vocal dog (no, that’s not the same as yappy!) He has a huge repertoire, from hearty howls to tiny grunts and whimpers, and he wishes you could learn his language.

He sometimes sounds as if he’s singing!

He needs plenty of attention - from you, his family and from other dogs.

He’ll pine without it. He doesn’t seem to need much sleep - and always has one eye open, in case you’re putting
on outdoor shoes or picking up car keys He’s a great one for socialising with other dogs and you may feel jealous
of the way he always wants to make friends with other dog owners, too.

But, back home, he’ll get as close to you as he possibly can. 

He’d benefit from a puppy or adult dog training class that introduces you both to exercises that stretch his mind.
The Gemini dog’s neat, lithe and probably on the small side. He moves very quickly and seems to be able to be in several places at once. 

He could be a dachshund, a Norfolk or Norwich terrier. Or maybe a quirky little rescue dog who singled you out!

YOUR CANCER DOG

Probably comes from aristocratic stock, with an impressive pedigree.Even if she hasn’t, she’ll have the air of a doggie duchess and her manners will be fastidious, verging on fussy. 

She may be a picky eater who has you scouring supermarket shelves for different meals week after week. 

The Cancer dog, whether male or female, is very pretty, with large round eyes and a shiny, feathery coat. Her head
will be long and smooth. She can be very shy with strangers, though, so don’t let people give her too many
admiring pats and strokes until you have built up her confidence. Always let her make friends in her own time.

It is important that a Cancer dog is given a ‘nest’ or den that is away from noise and household hub-hub, so that she can retreat when she wants.

She is basically a sweet-natured dog, though and will always come and put her head on the knee of someone who needs 
sympathy! When older, she might work as a hospital or nursing home ‘pat’dog.

She could be a King Charles Spaniel, or a Pug or Griffon, with daintily elegant paws.

YOUR LEO DOG

This dog is definitely a pack-leader. He stands tall and proud, with a magnificent lion-like head and a body profile that could earn him a place at Crufts and sees himself as a canine model, wearing the latest in fine collars or rainproof coats.

Even if he isn’t physically commanding, he’ll have the manner of a general.

However much you adore him (and he is one of the true doggy superstars), you should make certain parts of your home, no-go areas. If you give a Leo dog too much say, he won’t let you sit on his chair or groom him if he’s not in the mood. Handled right, though, he’s a delightful character.

If he has one weakness, it is his pride.

Never let him see you laughing at him.

He’s so good-looking, you might want to enter him in dog shows and he’ll lap up all the attention. He is a show-off softie who looks like a canine king but is devoted to you.

He could be an eye-catching Ridgeback, a German Shepherd,a Shetland, or a giant poodle.

YOUR VIRGO DOG

This dog is a perfectionist, digging her way to Australia in an effort to make her bedding more comfy, waiting
expectantly by her bowl for an even better meal option and rearranging your shoes until they make a neater heap.

She’s a one-person pet who refuses to be wooed by tasty treats if they aren’t coming from you.

Her loyalty is touching - but can be exasperating when you want your friend to look after her and your dog won’t even get out of the car. 

She can be very stubborn and, despite her often delicate appearance, she usually has superb health and a strong body.
She does occasionally get upset — usually by loud, unpleasant noises.

Your Virgo dog will have a pretty coat that she hates getting dirty and she’s likely to be pale-coloured, or mostly 
white with symmetrical markings, if any.

She could be a Chow, a pekingese, or a Papillon. But if she’s none of these, just small and careful where she puts
her feet, she could be Virgo.

YOUR LIBRA DOG

He’s a loving, lovable, good-looking dog who wants a peaceful corner and a regular routine.

The Libra dog craves companionship.

If he can’t have you around, day and night, he’d like a doggy pal to share his basket. It’s worth considering -
they’ll certainly wear one another out with all that play-chasing.

Your Libra dog likes quiet music, the murmur of voices and slight hum of household noises (like the washing
machine) to comfort him when he’s alone.

He’s a foodie and enjoys — and expects the luxury brands or home-cooked meals.

He’s an easy-going dog who pretends he’d rather sleep than walk. He can be lazy, so - if he’s a solo pet - team
up with a pal for shared outings.

Whatever type of dog he is, the Libra dog is well-proportioned and glossy.

He could be a Dalmation, Dobermann or Weimaraner - or a long-legged mongrel.

YOUR SCORPIO DOG

She can’t resist a half-hidden smell and she could even work professionally as a sniffer dog, nosing out crime secrets.

She seems to have an infallible instinct about people, too. She likes your friends, but her hackles rise and she looks distinctly unapproachable when you both meet someone you don’t trust.

She is rarely wrong in her judgement.

Sometimes you wonder if she might have extra-sensory perception. She seems to see things that aren’t there, be aware of sounds outside you range of hearing. She has a talent for finding things that you lose.

Your dog is deeply loyal and, in her own special way, very affectionate.

But she definitely does not like being cuddled and touched by all and sundry. Don’t try and force her to appear more friendly. This is her nature and she would never let you down - which is what matters. 

She might be a Labrador-Retriever, a Bloodhound or a long, silky-eared Spaniel.She may have appeared in your life in mysterious circumstances.

YOUR SAGITTARIUS DOG

He has a sense of adventure and always wants to accompany you on every journey. His favourite mode of travel is on foot, although he’s willing to run alongside a bike, or horse, if that happens to be what you’re riding. 

He can be a wanderer — so it is wise to make your garden escape-proof.

He has an air of happy-go-lucky nonchalance that strangers find endearing.

He loves the countryside and, no matter how clean you try to keep him, often has a coat that’s rigid with mud, burrs and leafy debris.

He runs like the wind and never seems to get tired. He stays forever young at heart and his interest in life never flags He could be a Labrador-Retriever, a Golden Retriever or an Irish Setter.

Or he could be any mix with a trace of active working dog in it.

YOUR CAPRICORN DOG

Her stamina is amazing. She knows how to have fun - but far prefers being given an obedience task or having a job to do.
She has deep-set, gentle dark eyes. 

Her coat may be short and smooth or long and beautifully feathered. But, either way, she does not seem to mind cold weather. Of all the dog starsigns, hers is the one most likely to make real old age.

She’s quite happy to go to work with you. But she does love long walks because they’re so mentally stimulating. And whatever her size, likes to move fast.

She gets on well with your other pets, including your cats.

She could be a Borzoi, an Afghan, a fleet-footed whippet, or a Jack Russell cross.

YOUR AQUARIUS DOG

Sniffs the air and appears to be thinking long and hard before making off into the middle distance. Then he’ll finally reappear with a prize for you, held gently in his jaws. It will always be what you least expect.

Eccentric and caring, endlessly interested in every other form of wildlife, your Aquarius dog loves to “rescue” other creatures.

Train him, with lots of reward treats and praise, to come to a dog whistle when he’s out of earshot to your calls.

Physically, he has a sturdy body with striking markings - spots or splodges of contrasting colour.

Sometimes, he may have eyes of differing colours, too - one blue, one brown or golden. 

He could be a purebred pointer or setter, Irish or English, or a fascinating concoction - a real one-off!

YOUR PISCES DOG

If your dog loves being in water, she’s probably a Pisces. She can be shy and is very intuitive Sometimes she acts as if she is anxious — even when she is not—moving in a squirmy way, belly close to the ground. She’ll use this body language to get round you and work her way onto forbidden chairs.

Be gentle, yet firm, if you don’t want her to do something and train her by lavishly rewarding her when she gets it right, ignoring her mistakes. 

Don’t let her wheedle endless snacks from you because this dog has a tendency to put on weight.

She has large, almost hypnotic eyes.

She could be a Springer Spaniel, Newfoundland, standard poodle or a long-eared mongrel.