Dog Feng Shui seems a bit nutty, right? Or is it? The art of Feng Shui dates back more than 4,000 years. If these laws have been around this long, is it really crazy to think that maybe it might help your dog? Why not dog Feng Shui? Today, let’s dig in and learn how dog Feng Shui can help your dog.
Budget Tip: The best part of Feng Shui for dogs is you don't have to spend any money. You can experiment with what you have, decluttering, and rearranging. If you see positive effects, then you can invest in colored items that will fit as well. I like doing things in a stepped approach. It lets you get a feel for something and plan for the bigger outcome if that's what you desire.
*Updated: August 30, 2023
NOTE: People go to school to become masters in Feng Shui and fully understand all the intricacies of the art and know-how to properly apply the principles. For purposes of this article, I’ll only look at the basic flow of Qi and the 5 elements.
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is a set of laws that tell you where to place items to optimize the flow of energy (or Qi) around the items. The goal is to bring harmony and good health along with other positive outcomes through the best flow of energy, which is encouraged by the placement of items. Who doesn’t want an optimized flow of energy? This seems great.
What is Qi?
Qi (pronounced chee) is all forms of energy. This can be a computer, phone, a beating heart, and even the earth itself. According to Qi energy is everywhere it just takes different forms.
The 5 elements of Feng Shui
There are five elements of Feng Shui – earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. Each element has a different meaning, color, and shape associated with it. How you use these elements may impact your dog in different ways.
NOTE: Although dogs do not see colors as humans do, Feng Shui and Qi are about the power the color has for that space and desired outcome. Thus, all colors still apply to dogs when implementing Feng Shui.
Earth
The element of earth is associated with the square shape and the colors yellow and brown. The attributes of the earth are stability, permanence, and grounding.
How to use the earth element: If you have a new dog or a dog that tends to be anxious, then you’ll want to pay close attention to how to implement the earth element into your dog Feng Shui. One simple way to encourage a sense of calm with a new dog, according to Feng Shui, is by providing a dog bed in a shade of yellow or brown.
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Fire
The element fire is associated with triangle shapes and the colors red, orange, and purple. The attributes of fire are energy, passion, and confidence.
How to use the fire element: If you have a dog that lacks confidence or is a bit shy, then the fire element may help. A good way to introduce the fire element, according to Feng Shui, is with a triangle-shaped or red-colored toy. Either one of these may help improve the Qi and strengthen your dog’s confidence.
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Metal
The element of metal is associated with the circle shape and the colors of white and metallics. The attributes of metal are innocence, clarity, strength, independence, and honesty.
How to use the metal element: If your dog wants to run away at any chance, then according to Feng Shui, perhaps a bit of work with this element will help. A great way to add more of the metal element’s attributes to your dog’s space is with a metal food and water bowl, which also generally is a circle shape.
Water
The element of water is associated with curvy shapes and with the colors blue and black. The attributes of water are curiosity, seriousness, relaxation, and inspiration.
How to use the water element: If your dog tends to be bored or anxious, then according to Feng Shui, a bit of work with the water element may help. A good way to strengthen the water element for a bored dog is maybe with blue colored brain game.
Wood
The element of wood is associated with the rectangle shape and the colors green and teal. The attributes of wood are peace, balance, and growth.
How to use the wood element: If your dog is training, then according to Feng Shui, you’ll want to make sure that you have this element in balance. A good way to do this is with a green leash or treat pouch used during training.
Are there any special tools needed for dog Feng Shui?
The idea with Feng Shui is to have the flow of Qi around the elements flowing freely and not stuck. If something blocks Qi or is out of balance, then according to Feng Shui that element needs to be balanced so Qi can flow freely.
Feng Shui practitioners will use different items to bring a better flow to Qi (or cures for a space). These items can include introducing water features, wind chimes, plants like bamboo or flowers, crystals, lights, mirrors to reflect light, or pillows in different shapes and colors.
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Is your dog Feng Shui in balance and Qi flowing freely?
How do you know if your dog Feng Shui is balanced or if you need to find a way to balance your pup?
If you feel your dog is more independent or curious, perhaps your pup is running off a lot, then the metal element is most likely dominant and the other elements need to come into balance with it (or metal with the other four elements).
For example, one way to do this, according to Feng Shui principles, is to decrease the amount of metal in your dog space and/or increase the other four elements.
However, you may find that switching a metal food or water bowl with a yellow or brown-toned ceramic one, which is an earth-based element, will help. This will provide more permanence or earth element in your dog Feng Shui space.
What to do to ensure good dog Feng Shui?
As we’ve discovered the goal of Feng Shui is to optimize Qi for harmony, good health, and the best outcome. So, now let’s see what steps we can easily take to help this flow and goal.
Declutter
Your dog’s space should be clutter-free. Of course, we all know there are toys, but toys should be picked up as much as possible and put in a basket, bin, or box. Clutter blocks Qi.
Cleanliness
Dirt (as in unclean) spaces and items will block Qi. With this in mind try to keep your dog’s space, toys, beds, leashes, collars, and other items as clean as possible. This will keep Qi flowing at an optimized level.
Dog bed placement
Make sure your dog’s bed is placed against a solid wall. It shouldn’t be in a hallway. And it should be clear of swinging doors. It should also be away from the sightline of mirrors.
And finally, your dog’s bed shouldn’t be in the kitchen or bathroom or next to water bowls or water sources. (Kitchens and bathrooms areas possess high water energy and can make it difficult to sleep or disturb sleep.) Who knew that there is so much thought needed to place your dog’s bed properly?
Floors
This goes back to decluttering and cleanliness. To keep Qi flowing optimally, floors should be kept clean and free of clutter. This will allow your dog to freely and safely move about the dog space.
Eating and water areas
Again, areas where your dog eats and drinks should be free of clutter, without mirrors, and clean. Any one of these can block Qi and inhibit your dog’s movement.
A word about pink and dog Feng Shui?
The color Pink in Feng Shui provides nurturing and love, which is especially important for new dogs. Some Feng Shui practitioners recommend putting a bit of pink on a new dog’s bed (even under the bed) or on the collar. And no, the dog’s sex doesn’t matter. This is just a Feng Shui color with an associated attribute.
Note: There are other aspects of Feng Shui you may want to consider such as yin vs. yang (these play off each other and should always be balanced), direction, and cures. This article was simply a brief overview of Feng Shui. If you are interested in a bit more information on these other areas, you may like to go here.
Can dog Feng Shui be bad?
It would probably be more of a block flow of energy than bad. According to Feng Shui principles, negative or blocked energy can be fixed with balances of elements or strategically placing of “cures” such as a light in a dark area. This is also logical. After all, the light will make it easier to see and prevent tripping hazards.
What if dog Feng Shui intrigues me, but I feel overwhelmed?
If you’d like to learn more about how to Feng Shui your space or Feng Shui your dog space, then I’d encourage you to consult a Feng Shui expert. If you have a Feng Shui school in your town, that’s a great place to call for help. They will have access to consultants and masters.
However, if you don’t have a Feng Shui school near you, then begin by asking friends, family, chiropractors, acupuncture therapists, and massage therapists. These people most likely will be very familiar with Feng Shui practitioners in your area and will be able to recommend someone. Once you have a name, call the person and find out what they can provide and the price. Always go with your gut instincts.
Although it’s best, of course, if you have at least three Feng Shui practitioners you can interview. After talking to them, you’ll know who, if any, you’ll want to set an appointment with to review your Feng Shui issues. It can be fun to explore this world. But remember no matter what it’s your home and your dog.
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Summary of how can dog Feng Shui help my dog?
In other words, does dog Feng Shui work? As we’ve discovered, Feng Shui has a history dating back more than 4,000 years.
Currently, people go to school to fully understand all the principles of the art and its many detailed laws. Yes, Feng Shui is considered an art. I have searched for scientific research to support Feng Shui. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that Feng Shui improves the space of its inhabitants.
However, it could make people, dogs, and pets feel better in a more cared-for space. I mean who doesn’t appreciate a more tidy and decluttered space? So, if your dog Feng Shui makes you, your dog, family, or other pet feel, act, or be happier, then that’s great! In the end that’s all that really matters!
This is very interesting. I am confused, though–don’t dogs only see yellows, blues, and shades of gray? Which means they wouldn’t see a red toy as red and a green leash as green? Or is there more to the colors than their visual perception?
That’s a good question. Basically, Feng Shui works on the flow of Qi around items. It’s the power of the colors, shapes, and placement of items, (along with a few other things that for simplicity matters were not discussed in this article) that allows Qi to flow optimally in relation to the elements. So, it doesn’t matter if you can see the color or not. Thus, according to Feng Shui principles, even if you are blind, the laws still apply. I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
I’ve heard of Feng Shui in real estate however I did not realize Feng Shui for animals existed. Thanks for sharing this interesting post and demonstrating all the ways in which the principles can be applied. Interesting read.
I’m glad you found this article interesting. I’ve also heard about Feng Shui being used in Real Estate. It can be an interesting art form.
This is so interesting! I’ve always found Feng Shui to be interesting but, to be honest, a bit overwhelming. Especially when it comes to working with items we already own and not spending a lot to redecorate, and working around a pretty unique house layout. We moved, and downsized a bit, a few months ago and I’ve been working on going through all our stuff to hopefully get rid of enough that our house doesn’t feel as cluttered. It’s cool to read that even things like decluttering and keeping things clean could help improve the energy of our space.
Absolutely, decluttering and being tidy according to Feng Shui principles helps improves the flow of Qi. I too have a uniquely laid house. However, I think if you want to implement Feng Shui principles in areas of your home or life that fit that can work too. Such as in your dog space area.
I learned years ago that a Feng Shui principle is to always shut the bathroom door and toilet seat. Of course, the toilet seat was already done, but now I close the bathroom door always even when not in use. According to Feng Shui the reason you always close the door is because you don’t want to invite money to go down the toilet or drain. Kind of funny. But unless you have a model bathroom, who wants to look at it all the time. Besides, if my bathroom door isn’t shut, my dog will curl up and take a nap for hours on the bath mat. I think he wants to claim it as his room. lol
I hope this helps you knowing that implementing even small bits of Feng Shui will help. At least, in my logical mind it seems like it should help. Heck I like less clutter and being more tidy. Good luck on your decluttering. I’m doing that too right now.
That was really interesting to read. I have heard of the power of the different colours but never considered that the same energetic powers in our life would exist even if we couldn’t see them. It’s actually kinda funny because I can see how this is already at work here without even realizing it. When we adopted Lucifer, he was an overly nervous and skittish pup. We always assign a colour to our dogs just to make it easy to know which items belong to each dog and given his name, he was red. In the two months that we have had him here, he has gained confidence and come into his own.
Wow! That’s so interesting to know that the color red corresponded with Lucifer gaining confidence. That’s wonderful! Red is also Henry’s color of choice. But he picked it. However, he definitely gained confidence as well. Thank you for your insights as always, Britt!
This is a very interesting read. I do think having more space within the home for the dogs to move around freely is great, and I do recognize that as our home has become more “busy” with kids toys and things throughout the day there is less space for the dogs to lay about and play indoors without bumping into people or objects. I think in those cases it’s good to have a dedicated “dog place” where they can go and just “be a dog”. It’s important to find balance as our lives change and make adjustments as needed to make sure everyone’s needs are met.
I agree, Nikki. Life is all about balance and finding that balance that works best for you and your family. Everyone (including the dogs) having a space is a great way to bring balance. Thank you for your experiences and insights.
This is really interesting, & clever how you incorporated it into a dog’s space & life. I’m a bit familiar with Feng Shui but never thought about it from a dog’s life perspective. Thanks for sharing!
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
I’m glad I could offer you a new or fresh way of looking at Feng Shui. It certainly can be a fascinating art and including our dogs can be fun as well. I’m glad you enjoy the article. Thank you!
The Oriental approach to everything from medicine to life itself is much more holistic so I can understand that the ideas can be applied to benefit dogs. It is part of a whole regime we can bring to hear for the benefit and welfare of our dogs and cats.
I know that everything from acupuncture to Feng Shui is now being taken much more seriously than in the past. These things matter and they work.
That’s absolutely correct! It is a holistic approach to our pets and life. That’s a great realization! Thanks for sharing!