Dog

Overall

Nose up: the fox is in the henhouse and the game’s afoot, no need to be hounded by those above you. Nose down: it could be a mongrel of a year, but don’t cur(se) about it or let it dog you. You might spend a lot of time chasing hubcaps but remember, someone is always going to see a man about a dog - you’ve not been forgotten! There’s not a lucky star in sight, but the wicked ones are no more ferocious than a poodle getting its nails done.

Health

You’ll want to corral whatever was going on last year - don’t let those intestinal worries worm their way through to this one. You have the tablets, take them, failing that the hair of the dog might be what you’re after. No need to mutter anything.

Wealth

You’ll want to dachshund into the bank, pointer at the counter, and retriever the money. Make sure to hang around lamp posts and mark your territory. Perhaps even put up the sign “cave canem”, if the volcano can’t dog your days who else will try? No need to be as mean as a junkyard dog, but be aware that every dog has his day and this is possibly not yours.

Love

Is this the year for the shaggy dog story? Those with puppy eyes take heart, the lost dogs’ home is open for business and it’s, well, raining cats and dogs (the former for those keen on miscegenation). You don’t have to spend the year alone in the doghouse, March, May and November are looking good for getting up with fleas.

Career

This year the bark is worse than the bite: not a year for climbing up that slippery pole, but a year to take paws and turn several circles and mark that territory. Not a good year to keep nipping at the heels of the top dogs, unless you’re particularly interested in having a dog’s life. Let sleeping dogs lie, they say, for you that means lie in wait, that chance will come.

Famous Dogs

Madonna; David Bowie (Vale the Diamond Dog!); Chinese tennis player Li Na; former US president George W Bush.