#ChineseElements
What Element are you? Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water?
I am very intrigued by Chinese Medicine and the way it looks at our energy and our health. I’ve frequently sought out different alternative therapies (acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, herbal medicine, etc.) for myself and the pups...with great success.
As a result, I’m constantly into learning new things. I recently learned that our pets can be linked to the Elements, which can help us with knowing how to communicate with them, what to watch out for in their health, even what to feed them…to make them the best versions of themselves!
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine recognizes that animals and people have five major personality traits which influence how we relate to each other and the world around us. Each element is representative of a season of the year, an organ system within the body and a personality.
By identifying the element of a pet’s personality, we can address possible imbalances they may be prone to experience and make lifestyle and training choices to keep their health in balance.
Very rarely is a pet or person a single personality type. We tend to behave differently in different situations, but most of us have a default personality trait when under stress.
Do you know what element your pet is? We’re going to share what Element each of us are, and help you figure out where your pet fits as well!
Pebbles is Fire! “The Emperor”
Color: Red
Season: Summer
Common Personality Traits:
- High Energy
- Easily Excited
- Extroverted
- Friendly/Playful
- Thrive on Attention
- Enjoys Physical Contact
- Loves to be the Center of the Party
- Difficult to Calm Down
- Overly Sensitive
- Noisy & Talkative
Challenges:
- Providing a calm environment with regular exercise is important. They are poor at self-restraint and can be prone to overexerting themselves.
- When imbalanced they can become hyperactive and high strung or develop behavioral problems or heart-related issues.
- Will strive to do what their people ask of them as they love the reward when they get it right, but they can be difficult to train due to their short attention span.
- Fire dogs are often considered hyper, or unable to sit still for long; they want to be on to the next fun thing.
- They are more motivated by your attention than anything else. For some dogs, it doesn’t matter if the attention is positive or negative as long as they are receiving it.
- Can also be very sensitive and easily frightened.
Associated Organ: Heart
Prone To: heart disease, rapid heart rate, heart problems, heat stroke, restlessness, sudden death, insomnia, general and separation anxiety
Food: beef, turkey, white fish, rabbit and duck. Cucumber, celery and asparagus are also good tonics for the Heart element. These animals generally need to be fed cooling diets, as too much heat in the diet can contribute to their heat issues. Avoid chicken and lamb, tending toward duck, rabbit, or pork as the protein source.
Benji is Water! “Observer”
Color: Black
Season: Winter
Common Personality Traits:
- Careful
- Curious
- Cautious
- Introverted
- Quiet
- Reserved
- Loving with Their Own Family
- Suspicious of Strange People/Smells
- Deep Thinkers
- Solitary
- Prefer Warm Areas
Challenges:
- Prefer to hang back and case the situation.
- Prone to the emotion of fear.
- Hesitant and tend to look to their owners for guidance in new situations.
- Prefer to hide or run but will bite or scratch if unable to avoid unwanted interactions/perceived danger.
- Could have a trembling or shivering posture.
- Timid, shy, fearful.
- Likes to Hide.
- Could be nervous and run away.
- Commonly fear biters.
Associated Organ: Kidney/Bladder
Prone To: lower back and hip pain, hind end weakness, arthritis, bone and back issues, infertility, edema, depression, urinary infections, deafness/ear problems or panic attacks.
Food: aim to keep kidneys cool and moist. Beans, peas, sweet potatoes, spinach, beets and celery. Proteins- rabbit, eggs, dairy or white fish. High moisture diets are important, along with diets that are easily digested. Kidneys are responsible for life, so feeding "baby" foods like nuts (a couple of ground almonds), seeds (ground flax or sesame), and eggs will help maintain good kidney function.
Bruiser is Earth! “Feeds Others”
Color: Yellow
Season: Late Summer
Common Personality Traits:
- Dependable
- Nurturing
- Supportive
- Loyal
- Likes to take care of others
- Slower to respond to stimuli
- Laid Back/Easy Going/Relaxed
- Friendly/Sweet/Kind
- Happy/Sociable
- Very Trusting
- Tolerant
- Short & Sturdy
- Slower Moving
- Consistent
- Serene/Balanced
Challenges:
- When imbalanced, prone to worry, digestive issues, and obesity.
- Very friendly and love people but need time to themselves as well.
- Often need more sleep.
- Prone to the emotion of worry.
Dominant Organ: Spleen/Stomach
Prone To: worry, gastrointestinal upset, edema, colic, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and obesity.
Food: rumen, lamb, chicken, ginger, garlic, sweet potato. They may need foods that are a little warm and partially digested (think crock pot for these kids). They do not like food to be cold and damp. Dairy is their enemy. Green tripe is an excellent food for Earth pets.
Jax is Wood! “The General”
Color: Green
Season: Spring
Common Personality Traits:
- Confident/Dominant
- Assertive
- Competitive
- Speedy
- Enjoys Being First/Driven to Win
- Impatient/Impulsive/Hasty
- Bossy/Like to Give Orders
- Athletic/Muscular
- Active/Energetic
- Friendly with People They Know
- Loyal
- Want to Please
Challenges:
- Require moderate to heavy exercise.
- Like to have a “job” to stay happy.
- May sit next to their owner barking a warning.
- They can be destructive, if they become bored.
- When out of balance, they are prone to irritability and even aggression
- At home they need a very stable environment. They do very well in households with routine and consistency.
- Easily affected by stress, therefore turmoil in the home or moving to a new home/environment often leads to imbalance.
- They are also impatient and can bite with little provocation. They tend to be irritable and crabby.
Associated Organ: Liver/Gallbladder
Prone To: hypertension, stroke, allergy, depression, hysteria, neurosis, eye problems and athletic injury- especially tendons and ligaments, nail and foot pad problems, anal sac disease
Food: tend to have blood deficiency so blood tonics- beef, rabbit and chicken, as well as carrots, celery, broccoli and spinach. These animals need to have the Liver supported with abundant dark leafy greens and Blood tonics like eggs and sardines. Not only does the Blood have to be produced, it also has to be moved. So, add in some good Qi tonics like pumpkin, turmeric, and ginger to move the blood.
Like Jax, Joey was also Wood!
Wood personality traits like confidence, speed, impatience, bossy, loyal, a need for routine and order, energetic and friendly with people he knew…the Wood Element definitely sums Joey up perfectly! Now that I know Joey’s Element and the corresponding Wood traits, it explains a lot. He was ornery and even destructive, because he was bored and needed to work his brain.
But, there’s still one Element left...none of us are Metal, but maybe you are!
Metal "The Prime Minister”
Color: White
Season: Autumn
Common Personality Traits:
Love to Obey Rules
Independent/Aloof
Dignified
Good Vision
Confident
Consistent
Leader
Neat
Excellent Self Control
Prefers a Predictable Schedule
Organized
Quiet
Challenges:
Hate it when things don’t go according to plan
Not unfriendly, just reserved.
Like to have a job and a set procedure to their daily routines.
Expects you to also follow a schedule. Will let you know if you are late feeding them or when it is time to go for their walk.
Associated Organ: Lung/Large Intestine
Prone To: nasal congestion, frequent colds, cough, asthma, breathing disorders, skin issues, dry skin and constipation
Food: the lung and large intestine are prone to dryness. As result, pets should eat moistening foods like duck or greens. During heating or cooling seasons, consider adding water to the animal’s food or using a humidifier. Diets high in moisture are important for these pets.
What Element is Your Pup?
Remember you don’t have to match every personality trait perfectly. It’s more about which one fits best. And, the challenges listed are more likely to be seen if your pet is out of balance, in a difficult situation or under a lot of stress.
Very rarely is a pet a single personality type. They tend to behave differently in different situations, but most often there will be a default personality trait, especially when under stress.
Learn More
If you want to learn more about the Chinese Elements, and any insight into your pet they may give you, check out a couple of books we would recommend: