Wishing you and your family a very happy, healthy and prosperous Chinese New Year of the Dog!

2018 is the Year of the Dog. Some fun details…

The Dog is the eleventh of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Monkey, Rooster and Dog were in another country, helping a god defeat evil spirits. After, they set off to the party together. Because they arrived at the same time, the Jade Emperor went by the order they met the god in the other country. Thus, Dog became eleventh.

The Dog is also associated with the Earthly Branch (地支—dì zhī) xū (戌), and the hours 7–9 in the evening. In the terms of yin and yang (阴阳—yīn yáng), the Dog is yang.

In China, it is still popular to name dogs Wàng Cái (旺财). It means “prosperous wealth” and comes from dogs’ barking sounds (旺旺—wàng wàng).

Personality and characteristics

A Dog’s most defining characteristic is their loyalty. They will never abandon their friends, family or work.

Honest and just, they are popular in social circles. Everyone needs a Dog friend for advice and help. They are also good at helping others find and fix their bad habits.

Despite how they act, they are worried and anxious inside. However, they will not let this stop them. Once they decide on something, no one can persuade them against it.onest and loyal, Dogs are the truest friends and most reliable partner.

Recent years of the Dog are: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

Paired with the Celestial Stems (天干—Tiān gān), there is a 60-year calendrical cycle. Although xū is associated with earth, the years also cycle through the five elements of nature (五行—wǔ xíng).