The zodiac is an interesting part of human culture and spirituality, dating back to the Babylonians. The zodiac as we know it was first used around 400 BC and is commonly used in today’s society to name the “star signs” of horoscopes. Horoscopes are used to determine what a certain moment in time (a birthday, for example) means in relation to the alignment of the planets and stars.

Regarding dog astrology, some owners put real weight behind the idea that a dog’s zodiac or “star” sign can reliably predict its personality. While this can be a fun way to interpret your puppy’s behavior, the truth is that a dog’s zodiac sign says nothing about its personality and cannot (and should not) be used to predict its personality traits or behavior reliably.

This might sound mean or like we’re skeptics but think of the consequences of placing your trust into a dog’s star sign without proper consideration for their personal experience, breed tendencies, physiology, and individualism. The only reliable predictor of a dog’s behavior is its owner, caregiver, or professional who deals with canine behavior, like a veterinarian.

What Are Dog Zodiac Signs?

In modern astronomy, the zodiac is a belt of space that is full of stars that astronomers use to monitor the movement of stars and planets about the Earth. In astrology, the zodiac is a chart of 12 star signs that correlate to the different months in which the sun moves through the star constellations they’re named after.

The star signs are applied to birth months, meaning that the person (or dog) that’s born in a certain period (e.g., January 1) would belong to the corresponding zodiac sign (Capricorn).

Each zodiac sign has different traits applied to it, which are supposed to reflect the personality of the being born under it. Using July 25 as an example, a puppy who was born on July 25 would belong to the Leo zodiac sign and would have personality traits such as courage and confidence assigned to it.

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac, Corresponding Dates, & Personality Traits That Could Apply to Your Dog

1. Aries (March 21–April 19)

Known to be confident, assertive, independent, energetic, and impulsive

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2. Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Known for being reliable, practical, and down to Earth, patient, and persistent

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3. Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Known for being curious, versatile, expressive, adaptable, and sociable

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4. Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Known for being emotional, intuitive, nurturing, protective, and sensitive

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5. Leo (July 23–August 22)

Known for being confident, ambitious, creative, generous, and warm-hearted

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6. Virgo (August 23—September 22)

Known for being analytical, practical, hardworking, perfectionistic, and critical

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7. Libra (September 23–October 22)

Known for being diplomatic, sociable, charming, indecisive, and superficial

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8. Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

Known for being intense, passionate, mysterious, jealous, and secretive

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9. Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

Known for being adventurous, optimistic, restless, and irresponsible

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10. Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

Known for being disciplined, ambitious, pessimistic, and arrogant

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11. Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

Known for being independent, innovative, eccentric, and aloof

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12. Pisces (February 19–March 20)

Known for being compassionate, artistic, sensitive, and escapist

In Relation to Dogs: How the Zodiac Relates to Canine Personality

Now that we’ve looked at all the star signs and what they’re supposed to determine, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular. Horoscope pages in the local paper are always fun to read, but while they might relate to people in a certain way, we can’t reliably apply them to our dogs.

Each dog is an individual with their own experience that shapes them into the dogs we know and love. Even a dog’s breed cannot reliably predict an individual’s behavior, including proven genetic traits and physiological characteristics, and the star sign they were born under doesn’t make a difference in their personality.

The Two Puppies Example

Say we have two puppies born on July 25 to the same litter. They’ll both belong to the Leo zodiac sign, which according to the zodiac, means they’ll both be confident and warm-hearted. However, when the two dogs go in for a behavioral assessment, we find one of them to be confident, gentle, and well-behaved. The other is frightened, aggressive, and undisciplined.

That is because a dog’s personality is mostly determined by its environment and experiences, breed and physiology, and instinct, not by how the stars align when they’re born. For example, both these puppies are the same breed, but one went to a home that socialized them well, treated them with kindness, and trained them to be the perfect canine citizen, while the other went to an abusive environment full of fear and anxiety. These experiences made a big difference in their personality, despite both being the same zodiac sign.

Final Thoughts

Certain traits are displayed in the zodiac that can seemingly apply to our dogs, but your pet’s personality is influenced more by its genetics, environment, health, and how it’s treated. Two puppies born on the same day can develop vastly different temperaments, regardless of the position of the stars. Using a dog’s zodiac as entertainment is fun, but their star sign doesn’t reliably determine a canine’s personality and behavior.

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Featured Image By: Jus_Ol, Shutterstock