Happy "Year of the Dog"

Hooray for our buddies!

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, ushers in the Year of the Dog and kindly shows the Year of the Rooster out. According to Chinese astrologer Laura Lau, this year will feel very different from last year -- and that might be for the better.

Lua says that, within the Chinese Zodiac, the Dog is a true companion, associated with loyalty, honesty, intelligence, and a strong sense of right and wrong, as opposed to the Rooster, which has a tendency to be demanding and a tad persnickety. "Dogs are known to be swift and passionate believers in their own personal philosophy," Lau says. "The Dog does his best to protect high-integrity people and support their cause."

In other words, this year of the Dog may see people fighting for the causes they believe in. This influence could manifest itself as large-scale political movements or something as simple as local community work and small acts of kindness. Some astrology buffs are inclined to believe that we'll see more of the latter than the former, due to this year's representative element -- Earth.