Scorpio dogs: personality, quirks and how to love them

A Scorpio dog is born between 23 October and 21 November, under the water sign ruled by Pluto (and Mars, in traditional astrology), and the heart of their personality is loyalty with no half measures. A Scorpio dog chooses their person, then follows them to every room, waits by the door for their key and keeps half an ear open while they sleep.

A Scorpio cat investigates from a distance. A Scorpio dog closes the distance. Same sign, same depth of feeling, but where the cat collects clues, the dog simply refuses to let you out of sight.

Scorpio dog personality

Everything a Scorpio dog does keeps them close to you, or keeps an eye on what's coming.

• The shadow. Get up to make a cup of tea and a Scorpio dog gets up too. Sit back down and they settle again, close enough to touch your foot.
• The doorway guard. At bedtime a Scorpio stretches out across the threshold, so nobody can come in, or leave, without stepping over them.
• The long read. A new visitor gets a slow, thorough sniff of shoes, coat and bag before any tail wagging is offered. Hello comes after the paperwork.
• The one-ear doze. A Scorpio dog sleeps deeply, apart from one ear, which swivels towards the door at every car that slows outside.

Behind the watchfulness is enormous tenderness. A Scorpio dog's affection is quiet: a chin resting on your knee, their whole weight slumped against your shins, a sigh when you finally sit down.

Scorpio dog quirks and habits

Why does my Scorpio dog follow me everywhere?

Because being apart is the one thing a Scorpio dog can't see the point of. They're not asking for anything; a Scorpio just wants to be present for whatever happens next, even if what happens next is you loading the washing machine.

Why does my Scorpio dog stare at me while I eat?

Partly hope, of course. But a Scorpio dog's stare is famously long and steady, and it carries on well after the plate is empty. Scorpio is the sign that wants to understand, and you're the subject they've chosen to study.

Why does my Scorpio dog bury their best chew?

Scorpios like a secret. The best chew goes under a cushion or into the folds of their bed, and is checked on now and then with great seriousness, to make sure it's still where only they know.

Why does my Scorpio dog sniff one spot on the walk for ages?

A Scorpio's nose is a detective's notebook. Where another dog sniffs and moves on, a Scorpio stands over one tuft of grass for a full minute, reading every message left there since yesterday. Pluto rules what's hidden, and a lamp post has a lot of hidden news.

The tricky bit: all or nothing

A Scorpio dog's devotion is total, and it shows. Leave the room for thirty seconds and you'll come back to find them waiting at the exact spot where you disappeared. Pick up your keys and a Scorpio is at the front door before you are, ready to argue the case for coming along. And a visitor who arrives while you're out will be studied in silence until you're home to vouch for them. It isn't fuss; it's a Scorpio taking their job seriously.

How to make a Scorpio dog happy

Scorpio dogs want closeness, a mystery to solve and a person they can count on.

• Make the walk a sniffing walk. Let a Scorpio linger. Ten minutes of reading the hedge is worth more to them than twenty minutes of brisk marching.
• Hide things for them to find. Tuck a toy under a towel, or scatter a few treats in long grass. Tracking down something hidden is the most Scorpio game there is.
• Give them a den with a view of the door. A covered bed in the hallway or a crate draped with a blanket lets a Scorpio rest and keep watch at the same time.
• Keep your comings and goings familiar. The same word when you leave and the same greeting when you're back tells a Scorpio the story has a happy ending.
• Spend one-to-one time. A Scorpio dog would swap a busy afternoon in the park for half an hour on the floor beside you, with a slow game of tug.

Best matches for a Scorpio dog

Scorpio dogs feel most at home with the other water signs, Cancer and Pisces, who never mind being followed to the kettle and back. The earth signs Virgo and Capricorn suit them too: an owner whose days run to a steady rhythm is an owner a Scorpio can predict, and a Scorpio loves to predict you.

The honest wild card is a Leo owner. You want an audience; a Scorpio wants to watch. It works better than it sounds: you tell the story, and your Scorpio dog is the one listener who never looks away. See how Scorpio pets pair with every owner sign on the Scorpio compatibility page.

If your Scorpio dog shares the house with another animal, expect them to love their person first and the housemate a respectful second. An easygoing companion who doesn't compete for the spot by your feet suits them best.

Famous Scorpio dogs

Hachikō, the Akita who went to Shibuya Station in Tokyo nearly every day for about nine years after his owner died, was born in mid-November 1923 on a farm near Ōdate. His birthday is often celebrated on 10 November, and a 1934 birth certificate gives 20 November: either date makes him a Scorpio. It's hard to think of a better picture of Scorpio loyalty. (Source: Wikipedia)

Scorpio dogs and Scorpio cats: two kinds of devotion

A Scorpio cat watches you from under a chair and sniffs your face for news of your day. A Scorpio dog skips the investigation and comes along instead. Put the two in one house and you'll find the cat somewhere high, keeping an eye on everything, and the dog lying across your feet, keeping an eye on you.