<P> The Dog (狗) is eleventh of the 12 - year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Dog is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 戌 . The character 狗, refers to the actual animal while 戌, refers to the zodiac animal . </P> <P> People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year of the Dog", while also bearing the following elemental sign: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Start date </Th> <Th> End date </Th> <Th> Heavenly branch </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 14 February 1934 </Td> <Td> 3 February 1935 </Td> <Td> Wood Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 February 1946 </Td> <Td> 21 January 1947 </Td> <Td> Fire Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 February 1958 </Td> <Td> 7 February 1959 </Td> <Td> Earth Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 February 1970 </Td> <Td> 26 January 1971 </Td> <Td> Metal Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 25 January 1982 </Td> <Td> 12 February 1983 </Td> <Td> Water Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 February 1994 </Td> <Td> 30 January 1995 </Td> <Td> Wood Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 29 January 2006 </Td> <Td> 17 February 2007 </Td> <Td> Fire Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 16 February 2018 </Td> <Td> 4 February 2019 </Td> <Td> Earth Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 February 2030 </Td> <Td> 22 January 2031 </Td> <Td> Metal Dog </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 22 January 2042 </Td> <Td> 9 February 2043 </Td> <Td> Water Dog </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Start date </Th> <Th> End date </Th> <Th> Heavenly branch </Th> </Tr>

When does the chinese year of the dog begin