Year of the Dog
Year of the Dog
The Chinese New Year salutes our canine friend!
By Lauren Lewis
Wave your paws in the air and bring on the fireworks—or perhaps in the case of nervous pups, some confetti and streamers— either way, it’s time to celebrate. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2006 is the Year of the Dog.
On January 29, millions of people around the world commemorated the Chinese New Year, which just so happened to honor our canine pals this time around.
In fact, for the first time ever, New York City’s Chinatown included the dogs in its annual Lunar New Year parade and festival on February 5—a celebration that drew more than 350,000 participants and spectators, making it the largest pan-Asian event on the East Coast. The festivities also included a special dog parade in honor of the Year of the Dog. Hundreds of adoptable pooches from local rescue organizations joined the procession, donning Chinese New Year-themed outfits and orange “Adopt Me” vests.
The Tale of the zodiac
The Chinese New Year dates back to 2600 B.C., when Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Although the Chinese calendar is a yearly one, it follows the cycle of the moon rather than that of the sun, which determines our Western calendar. So instead of following a linear cycle like we do, the Chinese New Year rotates in a circle of 12 years.
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha called together all the animals to bid him farewell before he left the earth. Only 12 animals came and as a reward Buddha named a year after each one of them in the order they arrived: rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.
In Chinese horoscopes, people born in the year of a particular animal are said to have certain characteristics of that animal.
Humans born in the Year of the Dog possess qualities such as loyalty and honesty— making them great friends. However, they
can be stubborn, too. Sound familiar?
Here at Tails, we can think of nothing more exciting than dedicating an entire year to our best furry friends—after all, dogs are associated with good fortune and benevolence. Of course, we wish there were a Year of the Cat as well...and fish, and hamster. We’ll talk to Buddha about that, maybe he can forgive those animals who didn’t show up. In the meantime, enjoy these festive gifts all year long.
On January 29, millions of people around the world commemorated the Chinese New Year, which just so happened to honor our canine pals this time around.
In fact, for the first time ever, New York City’s Chinatown included the dogs in its annual Lunar New Year parade and festival on February 5—a celebration that drew more than 350,000 participants and spectators, making it the largest pan-Asian event on the East Coast. The festivities also included a special dog parade in honor of the Year of the Dog. Hundreds of adoptable pooches from local rescue organizations joined the procession, donning Chinese New Year-themed outfits and orange “Adopt Me” vests.
The Tale of the zodiac
The Chinese New Year dates back to 2600 B.C., when Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Although the Chinese calendar is a yearly one, it follows the cycle of the moon rather than that of the sun, which determines our Western calendar. So instead of following a linear cycle like we do, the Chinese New Year rotates in a circle of 12 years.
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha called together all the animals to bid him farewell before he left the earth. Only 12 animals came and as a reward Buddha named a year after each one of them in the order they arrived: rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.
In Chinese horoscopes, people born in the year of a particular animal are said to have certain characteristics of that animal.
Humans born in the Year of the Dog possess qualities such as loyalty and honesty— making them great friends. However, they
can be stubborn, too. Sound familiar?
Here at Tails, we can think of nothing more exciting than dedicating an entire year to our best furry friends—after all, dogs are associated with good fortune and benevolence. Of course, we wish there were a Year of the Cat as well...and fish, and hamster. We’ll talk to Buddha about that, maybe he can forgive those animals who didn’t show up. In the meantime, enjoy these festive gifts all year long.
