Friday’s discussion of Mercury retrograde applies to all 12 signs of the Zodiac. From now until September 12, we will all be feeling the effects of the travel and communication planet’s backward motion, complete with frustrating delays, misunderstandings, and technical glitches. But here’s an interesting factoid: Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, which brings this sign into the spotlight right now. And it so happens that people born under the sign of Virgo make ideal dog owners.

Any dog lucky enough to be adopted by a Virgo will experience a life of pure love and loyalty to the very end. According to one of today’s top MSN stories, Virgo is a sign of the Sixth House, which focuses on health, perfection, service, skilled work, and pets. Virgo is most at home in the company of animals and close to nature.

All this naturally means that any dog lucky enough to live with a Virgo will enjoy long, leisurely walks and plenty of quality time enjoying the great outdoors, Virgo’s element. The Virgo’s innate sense of cleanliness and love of nature will motivate him to be diligent about picking up after his dog – most likely with a biodegradable bag, so as to leave behind the smallest possible carbon paw-print.

Virgos are likely to show compassion toward dogs less fortunate than their own. They will be aware of – and help raise others’ awareness of – dogs in need, supporting animal welfare groups with donations of time and/or money, and volunteering on behalf of worthy pet causes. Virgos are also very likely to become actively involved in animal rescue, either by taking in homeless dogs found astray, or helping shelter dogs find happiness by fostering them until a permanent home is found. Petfinder is likely to be a Virgo’s favorite online destination!

As the MSN article explains: “With an acute attention to detail, Virgo is the sign in the Zodiac most dedicated to serving. Their deep sense of the humane leads them to caregiving like no other, and their methodical approach to life ensures that nothing is missed.” Lucky is any dog owned by a Virgo – if Spot gets sick, his human will stop at nothing to help him feel better, spoiling him with delicious food, enticing toys, and cozy bedding, and investigating alternative therapies to achieve maximum health, wellness, and longevity.

The Virgo dog owner will be gentle and patient with his pet, using positive training methods rather than punishment. After all, dogs are bona fide family members, and nobody appreciates this quite like the Virgo, who always places family first. As the MSN article puts it, “Loving and dedicated to family, the Virgo is first on the scene when care is needed. When someone reaches old age or is ill, the Virgo will be there doing all that is needed.”

This means that any senior K9 belonging to a Virgo is a lucky dog indeed. The Virgo dog lover will stop at nothing to make his senior pet’s life easier and more comfortable, from cushioning his tired joints with a comfy dog bed, to arranging for a housecall acupuncturist, to carrying him when he can no longer make it up the stairs.

The Virgo dog owner will even select pet food based on how easy it is for an old dog to digest, carefully examining the ingredients with that Virgo attention to detail, to be sure there’s nothing that might cause Spot gastric discomfort. More than anyone else, the Virgo knows to avoid diets that could put his senior dog at risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; this dog lover seeks out low glycemic, low-carbohydrate, grain-free food formulas.

And if emergency strikes and a dog requires hospitalization, a Virgo will not hesitate to go the distance medically. If expensive surgery is required, the Virgo dog lover will make it happen for the sake of his beloved pet. During a dog’s convalescence, the Virgo owner will lavish his patient with TLC, even preparing home-cooked meals, and won’t complain even if there’s a long and complicated list of medications to administer. Speaking of dogs and medicine, Virgos make compassionate, detail-oriented veterinarians – so if you’re in the market for a new vet and you happen to find one who’s a Virgo, pounce.

Virgos enjoy eating healthy foods, and that taste will influence the type of food they select for their best friends. You can bet the pet foods that make it in to the discerning Virgo’s shopping cart will be free of artificial flavors and preservatives, and full of wholesome ingredients selected to promote a long and healthy life – and they’ll probably be organic, too.

What’s more, Virgos appreciate cleanliness, so their pets can enjoy spotless surroundings, with bowls and bedding that are washed regularly. Even the dog toys will get a good scrubdown from time to time! (There’s even a cleaning product made specifically for pet toys – and it’s just the thing for fastidious Virgos.) Of course, this also means more frequent baths and brushing, which Spot might not be crazy about – but this is a small price to pay for all those other perks the Virgo’s dog has coming his way!

I don’t know about you, but if I were a dog, a Virgo is precisely the sort of person I’d be looking for in a life companion. Here’s a helpful hint for my fellow humans in search of a great dog lover: the signs that are most compatible with Virgo are Capricorn and Taurus.

Photo Credit: Remko van Dokkum/Flickr Creative Commons