The Dog Breed That Matches Each Zodiac Sign
A bit of fun for dog lovers, with real breed facts underneath. Find your sign and see whether we picked your perfect companion.
Nobody should choose a dog by horoscope. There is no evidence that the month of your birth shapes your character, and none at all that it tells you which dog will suit your home. We want that said plainly before we begin.
But star signs are a pleasant way to think about what you want from a companion. Each sign comes with a traditional portrait: the bold one, the homebody, the traveler, the dreamer. Most of us recognize a little of ourselves in one of them, whether or not it is the one on our birthday. Dog breeds have portraits too, and theirs are a good deal more reliable, because people spent centuries breeding them for a purpose.
So here is the game. For each sign we have picked the breed whose nature best fits the traditional description, and a second choice for those who want something smaller, calmer or easier to keep.
The astrology is for entertainment only. The breed information is not. The sizes, lifespans, exercise needs and grooming demands below are the real thing, and they are what should decide the matter if you are truly looking for a dog.
Find your sign, then read all the way to the end. The last word matters more than any horoscope.
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Aries
1. Jack Russell Terrier
Photo: Ron Fung / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Aries, the ram, opens the zodiac in late March and is traditionally the sign of courage, energy and impatience. Aries starts things, goes first and does not care for waiting.
That is the Jack Russell in a sentence. This small white terrier was developed in nineteenth-century England to run with foxhounds and go to ground after the fox, which took stamina and nerve out of all proportion to its size. A Jack Russell weighs about 13 to 17 pounds and commonly lives 13 to 16 years, so this is a long commitment.
AdvertisementIt needs at least an hour of real exercise a day, plus games, training and something to hunt for. A bored one digs, barks and redecorates. The coat, smooth or rough, needs only a weekly brush, but it sheds steadily. Fences must be secure, because this dog climbs and tunnels.
For a second choice, look at the Boxer: just as playful and bold, but bigger, sillier and more inclined to nap afterward.
A Jack Russell has never once been the first to suggest going home.
Why it worksFire meets fire. Neither of you is happy sitting still, and both of you would rather try something and be wrong than wait to be sure.Advertisement -
Taurus
2. Basset Hound
Photo: Will Thomas / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Taurus, the bull, is the sign of comfort, patience and stubbornness. Tradition gives Taurus a love of good food, a soft chair and a routine that does not change without notice.
The Basset Hound has built its whole life around those principles. Bred in France to trail rabbits and hares at a pace a hunter could follow on foot, it stands no more than about 15 inches at the shoulder yet weighs 40 to 65 pounds. It is a big dog on short legs. Bassets live about 12 to 13 years.
AdvertisementDaily needs are modest but real: a steady walk of 30 to 60 minutes, always on a leash, because that nose overrules the ears entirely. The long ears need cleaning every week to prevent infection, and the short coat sheds more than you expect. The great danger is weight. A fat Basset suffers in its back and joints, so the food has to be measured.
As a second choice, consider the Clumber Spaniel, another low, heavy, unhurried dog with a sweet and steady nature.
Why it worksA slow walk, a proper meal and a long nap, at the same times every day. You will both dig in your heels when asked to hurry, and neither will hold it against the other. -
Gemini
3. Border Collie
Photo: Pauline Loroy / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Gemini, the twins, is the sign of the quick mind. Tradition describes Gemini as curious, talkative, easily bored and happiest with several things going at once.
AdvertisementNo dog matches that better than the Border Collie, widely regarded as the most trainable breed there is. It was developed on the hills between England and Scotland to gather sheep over rough country, working at a distance from the shepherd and thinking for itself. It weighs 30 to 55 pounds and lives 12 to 15 years.
Be honest with yourself about this one. A Border Collie needs about two hours of activity a day, and much of that must occupy the brain: obedience, agility, herding lessons, scent games, new tricks. Without work it invents its own, which usually means herding children, cats and bicycles. The double coat needs brushing two or three times a week.
AdvertisementFor a gentler version of the same bright mind, choose the Papillon. This 5 to 10 pound toy spaniel excels at obedience and agility and is content with far less ground to cover.
Why it worksYou will never run out of things to teach each other. A mind that wants a new puzzle every day has found a partner that wants exactly the same. -
Cancer
4. Golden Retriever
Photo: Enis Yavuz / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Cancer, the crab, is ruled by the moon and is the zodiac's homemaker. The traditional Cancer is caring, protective, sentimental and devoted to family above everything.
The Golden Retriever is the same creature in a gold coat. Developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 1800s to fetch shot game from land and water, it was bred to work closely and gently with people, and that is still its whole character. Goldens weigh 55 to 75 pounds and live about 10 to 12 years.
AdvertisementThey need a solid hour of exercise every day, and they are happiest when that includes swimming or carrying something. The thick double coat sheds all year and heavily in spring and fall, so plan on brushing several times a week and owning a good vacuum. Goldens stay puppyish until three or four. The breed has a high rate of cancer and of hip and elbow problems, so buy only from a breeder who screens the parents.
The second choice is the Labrador Retriever: the same warm heart with a shorter, easier coat.
AdvertisementWhy it worksA Golden will happily be looked after, and will look after you right back. For a sign that wants everyone home and accounted for, here is a dog that counts heads too. -
Leo
5. Pomeranian
Photo: Michelle Tresemer / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Leo, the lion, is ruled by the sun and expects to be noticed. Tradition makes Leo generous, proud, dramatic and warm, with a fondness for an audience.
The Pomeranian was born in the spotlight and has the mane to prove it. It descends from much larger spitz sled and herding dogs of northern Europe and was bred down in size, becoming fashionable when Queen Victoria kept and showed them. A modern Pom weighs just 3 to 7 pounds and lives 12 to 16 years.
Do not mistake small for delicate in spirit. A Pomeranian is alert, confident and vocal, and it will announce every visitor. Two short walks and indoor play cover its exercise. The profuse double coat needs a thorough brushing down to the skin two or three times a week. Use a harness, not a collar, because the breed is prone to a collapsing windpipe, and keep up with dental care, since small mouths crowd.
AdvertisementAs a second choice, the Shih Tzu, whose name means lion dog, offers the same royal manner with a quieter voice.
A Pomeranian has no idea it weighs five pounds, and nobody has had the heart to mention it.
Why it worksTwo stars in one household, and somehow it works. You admire each other, and there is always someone to perform for. -
Virgo
6. Poodle
Photo: Gary Lee / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Virgo, the maiden, is the sign of order, precision and quiet competence. The traditional Virgo is observant, practical, health-minded and fond of things done properly.
AdvertisementThe Poodle suits that temperament in every size. It began as a water retriever in Germany, and the famous clip was a working cut that kept joints and chest warm while freeing the legs to swim. The Standard stands over 15 inches and weighs 40 to 70 pounds, the Miniature 10 to 15 pounds, and the Toy 4 to 6 pounds. Smaller Poodles commonly reach their mid-teens, and Standards about 12.
All three are among the brightest of dogs and learn household rules in days. They need daily exercise in proportion to their size and, above all, mental work. The tight, curly coat sheds very little, which keeps the house clean, but it grows continuously and mats. Plan on brushing several times a week and professional grooming every four to six weeks for life.
AdvertisementFor a second choice, the Miniature Schnauzer is tidy, clever, low-shedding and equally keen on a routine.
Why it worksA dog that likes things done properly, for a person who feels the same. A Poodle notices everything, remembers the schedule and leaves hardly a hair on the sofa. -
Libra
7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Photo: Ralf Sauter / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Libra, the scales, is ruled by Venus and seeks balance. Tradition makes Libra charming, sociable, fair-minded and uncomfortable with conflict.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has no quarrel with anyone. Bred as a companion to English nobility and named for King Charles II, who was seldom seen without his spaniels, it exists to be good company. It weighs 13 to 18 pounds and lives about 12 to 15 years.
AdvertisementA Cavalier adapts to your pace. It will walk for an hour or settle for two short strolls and a lap. It gets along with children, strangers, other dogs and cats, which makes it a poor watchdog and a fine neighbor. The silky coat needs brushing three or four times a week, with attention to the feathered ears. It should not be left alone for long days.
One serious caution: the breed has a very high rate of mitral valve disease, a heart condition that affects most Cavaliers as they age. Choose a breeder who has the parents' hearts checked by a cardiologist.
The second choice is the Bichon Frise, cheerful, sociable and low-shedding.
Why it worksNo arguments, ever. For a sign that wants harmony in the room, here is a dog that has never started a disagreement in its life.Advertisement -
Scorpio
8. Doberman Pinscher
Photo: JOSHUA DANIEL / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Scorpio, the scorpion, is the most intense sign in the zodiac. Tradition describes Scorpio as private, perceptive, strong-willed and fiercely loyal to a chosen few.
That is a fair description of the Doberman Pinscher. The breed was created in Germany around 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector who wanted a protective dog at his side on his rounds. A Doberman weighs 60 to 100 pounds and lives about 10 to 12 years.
Behind the stern outline is a sensitive, people-centered dog that follows its owner from room to room. It needs one to two hours of exercise a day and firm, kind training from puppyhood, along with early and thorough socializing. The short coat needs little more than a weekly wipe, but it gives poor protection in cold weather. Heart disease, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy, is the breed's most serious health problem, and good breeders screen for it every year.
AdvertisementFor a second choice, consider the Akita, a dignified, reserved dog from Japan that is devoted to its family and indifferent to everyone else.
Why it worksA Doberman's devotion matches Scorpio's all-or-nothing heart. Neither gives trust easily, and neither takes it back. -
Sagittarius
9. Siberian Husky
Photo: photo nic / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Sagittarius, the archer, is the traveler of the zodiac. Tradition makes Sagittarius optimistic, restless, independent and always curious about what lies over the next hill.
The Siberian Husky was built for exactly that. The Chukchi people of northeastern Siberia bred it to pull light loads over enormous distances in bitter cold on very little food. In 1925, teams of these dogs helped carry diphtheria serum across Alaska to Nome. A Husky weighs 35 to 60 pounds and lives 12 to 14 years.
AdvertisementThis is a dog for active people in cooler climates. It needs one to two hours of hard exercise daily and loves to run in harness. It is friendly with everyone, which makes it useless as a guard. It is also a gifted escape artist, so fences must be six feet high and secure at the base. It should never be trusted off leash. The dense double coat sheds in great handfuls twice a year.
The second choice is the Vizsla, a tireless, affectionate Hungarian pointer that suits warmer places and stays closer to your side.
AdvertisementThe Husky was bred to see what is over the next hill, and then the one after that.
Why it worksWherever you are going, this dog is already at the door. You share a horror of being fenced in and a firm belief that the best day is the one spent moving. -
Capricorn
10. German Shepherd
Photo: 12photostory / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Capricorn, the sea-goat, is the sign of discipline and duty. The traditional Capricorn is ambitious, patient, responsible and happiest with a goal in view.
The German Shepherd takes its duties just as seriously. Max von Stephanitz founded the breed in Germany in 1899, setting out to produce the ideal working dog, and it has since served as herder, police dog, military dog, search dog and guide for the blind. It weighs 50 to 90 pounds and lives roughly 9 to 13 years.
AdvertisementA Shepherd needs a job. That means up to two hours a day of exercise combined with training, tracking, obedience or some task with rules. Left idle, it becomes anxious and noisy. It bonds closely with its household and is reserved with strangers, so early socializing is essential. The double coat sheds constantly, with two heavy seasonal sheds, and needs brushing several times a week. Hip and elbow dysplasia are the well-known weak points, so ask to see the parents' joint scores.
As a second choice, the Rottweiler offers the same calm seriousness and loyalty in a heavier frame.
Why it worksYou both feel better with a job to do. Give this dog a task and a routine, and it will show the same steady satisfaction you feel at the end of a productive day.Advertisement -
Aquarius
11. Basenji
Photo: Stephan Faessler / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Aquarius, the water-bearer, is the zodiac's original. Tradition makes Aquarius independent, inventive, a little aloof and unwilling to do anything simply because everyone else does.
The Basenji is the least conventional dog you can own. It is one of the oldest breeds, a hunting dog of central Africa, and it does not bark. The shape of its voice box produces a yodel instead, along with chortles and the occasional scream. It grooms itself like a cat, has almost no doggy smell, and females come into season only once a year. A Basenji stands 16 to 17 inches, weighs 22 to 24 pounds and lives 13 to 14 years.
AdvertisementIt is clever, quick and thoroughly independent. It needs an hour of vigorous exercise a day and a securely fenced yard, as it climbs well and chases anything that runs. Training works through patience and rewards, never force. The fine, short coat needs almost no care. Ask breeders for the genetic test for Fanconi syndrome, an inherited kidney disorder.
The second choice is the Shiba Inu, another clean, cat-like, self-possessed dog with firm opinions.
The Basenji does not bark, washes like a cat and takes orders from no one.
Why it worksAn original for an original. You will not get blind obedience, and being who you are, you would not have respected it anyway. -
Pisces
12. Greyhound
Photo: S J / Unsplash Did we get yours right?Pisces, the fish, closes the zodiac and is its gentlest sign. Tradition describes Pisces as compassionate, intuitive, dreamy and easily hurt by harshness.
AdvertisementThe Greyhound surprises people. The fastest dog on earth, capable of about 45 miles an hour, is at home one of the calmest. It is a sprinter, not a marathon runner, and spends most of the day asleep. Greyhounds weigh 60 to 70 pounds and live 10 to 13 years. Many come to their homes as retired racers at two to five years old, already leash-trained and used to handling.
Daily needs are simple: a couple of walks and a chance to run flat out in a fenced area a few times a week. Never let one off leash in open ground, because it will chase and will be out of sight in seconds. The thin coat and lean body mean it needs a jacket in cold weather and a soft bed always. It is quiet, sensitive and responds only to kindness.
AdvertisementFor a second choice, the Whippet is the same dog in a 25 to 40 pound package.
Why it worksSoft hearts and soft blankets. A sensitive person and a sensitive dog understand each other without much noise, and both consider a quiet afternoon on the sofa time well spent.
The short version
The stars cannot tell you which dog to get. Your daily routine can. Read back through the list and ignore the signs entirely, and you have twelve honest portraits, plus twelve alternates, covering nearly every kind of household. The useful question is not when you were born but how you live.
So ask the practical things. How far do you truly walk each day, in February as well as in June? How many hours is the house empty? Can you lift 60 pounds of dog into a car if it is injured, and can you afford grooming every six weeks or a cardiologist's exam? A dog that lives 15 years will be with you through a great many changes, so choose for the life you expect to have as well as the one you have now.
Choose a breed whose energy and needs match your real life, meet adult dogs of that breed before deciding, and consider a rescue or a retired racer. Do that, and you will be a good match whatever month you were born.
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