Your dog is a quiet and gentle animal, never one to open up to many new people or pets—at least, not quickly. These pets are content to keep mostly to themselves except for strong owner-dog relationships. Virgos are creatures of habit. They have a few places around the house or yard where they can usually be found, including, occasionally, the owner’s lap.

Virgos are never averse to a bath, and usually avoid the sort of outside play that gets other dogs so dirty. Your Virgo is definitely a house dog. Virgos don’t need very many toys to be happy, and the ones that they have will usually be kept in the same general location. These dogs need a specific place that they can call “home.” Whether “home” is a complete doggy bed or just a relatively undisturbed spot of house, it is where the Virgo is most often found. The Virgo doesn’t like its space to be disturbed. Once you give it the toys and the doggy bed, those things are only allowed for your perusal under your dog’s close inspection. If you absent-mindedly move the doggy bed to vacuum underneath, or to shake out the rug, your Virgo will complain pretty loudly.

Virgos are not really into the performance business. For them, order and manageability are cardinal virtues. Puppyhood is a thing of the past, leaving your Virgo a pleasant and affable but quiet, reserved, and practical dog. That said, while you won’t ever be able to entertain visitors with your cute, clever, trick-performing Virgo, your dog’s quick obedience and inherent respect will certainly be impressive. Furthermore, Virgos are very intelligent dogs. You won’t ever find them getting themselves into awkward situations (like getting lost in the neighborhood), as more childish of dogs might. A Virgo is always very self-aware, and would feel quite put out if anyone attributed something less than responsible to its character.

The level of cleanliness and order that a Virgo likes to preserve can lead to disputes if there are other more investigative and less tidy pets in the house. Because of a Virgo’s intelligence, they simply assume that they are the chief pet, regardless the size or attitude of whatever else you own. Taurus and Capricorn, then, are likely to make for the easiest dog pairing. They will gently try to enforce their finickiness on everyone and will whine if their advice isn’t followed. Because they are quickly able to discern a schedule or pattern, they will do this same thing to you. If you are late with the food, rather than remind you by cuddling, a Virgo will bark complainingly. Oftentimes, a Virgo’s cleanliness can be interpreted as excessive worry and fussiness; sometimes, the dog’s character will bear out that interpretation. If it’s just one of those days when things are falling apart, don’t expect your Virgo to do much more than complain and add to the mess. If your Virgo is a small dog, it is definitely the type of dog that has given small dogs the sad reputation of barking too much and listening too little. Regardless of their sometimes over-analytical tendencies, though, Virgos make wonderful pets. When things are going the right way, your Virgo will be more than happy to let you know. It just might bark to do it.