Welcoming in the Year of the Dog

The people born in the Year of the Dog (1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest and inspire confidence in others. They make great leaders and can keep secrets when you tell them one. But they are also stubborn, selfish and eccentric. Though you, my fellow owners, are important, it is the pets that deserve the limelight, the Lupes, Gelerts, Wockies, Bori, Poogles, Zafaras and Kyrii.

These pets have most, if not all, of the above mentioned qualities. Lupes are the best examples of this. They possess all of the good qualities but are not known for selfishness. Jeran, the champion of Meridell, is known for his leadership. Even the Ghost Lupe is good at heart. He roams Mystery Island loyal to his lost shipmates and keeping the hostile tribes of Mystery Island at bay. Of course, there is Captain Scarblade, a selfish, lying fleabag of a Lupe, but even he is loyal to his pirate code, honest to his shipmates, an excellent leader and exceptionally inspiring. There are others as well, the Lupe who guards the omelette, the Lupe who adventures in Neoquest. Elwyn the Gelert and the Poogle racers inspire others to explore unknown and new places and take on challenges with fearless enthusiasm. They evoke bravery (as well as recklessness), preparation and experience. Though not exactly honest, Capara the Kyrii boosts others in the Cheat Championships and is extremely stubborn (a great quality if you play Cheat), not quitting no matter how many times she loses. The mountain climber who saved the grey faerie was a Kyrii who was stubborn and would not leave her, thus saving the grey faerie and giving her confidence. Garin’s most trusted friend is a Kyrii named Jacques. He is loyal, stubborn, selfish, inspiring, honest (to an extent) and always leads Garin in the right direction; well, the right direction for a pirate. Ace, a Zafara, leads others into the last territory, space. The swarm Wocky protects the lost desert from evil bugs and is fiercely loyal to his dry and sandy home. The sewage surfer does things others would not and the extreme potato counter does the same. Finally, Armin the Bori, Hannah's friend and partner, loyally follows Hannah to dangerous places and is like her in her eccentricity. We have so many heroes and villains who embody the spirit of the dog and, though the villains would gag at it, inspire us and lead us to great discoveries and new heights.

With such noble and loyal pets - Gelerts, Lupes, Kyrii, Wockies, Poogles, Bori and Zafaras - there are no worries that Neopia will remain as safe as can be expected and as prosperous. The owners of such pets should be proud and happy that they have such loyal and honest friends who will keep them safe and keep their secrets. Neopia has leaders when trouble does come and we have heroes for old and new stories. These pets are our greatest friends and can be fierce enemies. Sharp-tongued and sometimes emotionally distant, they are dangerous foes and rivals. Of course, my fellow owners who are born in the Year of the Dog are the same way.

We cannot help but wonder, with such owners and pets among us, what will happen to us in this year? We may discover new lands not yet known, maybe new planets even. A war with an ancient evil may threaten to destroy all Neopia. The stock market may crash, a land may be lost, the space station may blow. A new pet may come into our midst, the moon may be further developed. New discoveries, new heights, new retrogresses, new depths. We may experience things so abstract to our young minds that they cannot even be devised in the article that is written here.

It is not known for sure what is in store for Neopia in the Year of the Dog, but we have no worries with our dog-like friends here. Our world is safe from any evildoers and our homes are safe with brave watchers such as these. Our enemies are the ones to worry, for our loyal heroes are quick to strike fear into their hearts and bring us together in a stand against their plans and tyranny.

The Year of the Dog is going to be as exciting and unimaginable as the last. We will laugh, we will cry, we will love, we will lose. Before you know it, the month of celebrating will be here once more and then the Year of the Dog will end and the Year of the Pig will commence. Let us all be friends and enjoy the year, because it will be gone before we know it. Be kind to your fellow Neopians; they are your family and friends. We may all have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder before the year is out. Let us remember these peaceful and happy times. Promote prosperity, generosity, peace, hospitality and love. You may be the one relying on it now and you may be relying on it later. We do not know what will happen in the Year of the Dog and we may need these things more than ever if hard times come upon us. Let us live them now and we will live them when the moment we need them the most comes. Love is a powerful thing and can do many extraordinary things. Love each other, love your pets, love yourself.

To my fellow owners and their pets I wish you a happy Year of the Dog and may the times be kind to you all. To the Lupes and Gelerts, Kyrii and Wockies, Bori, Poogles and Zafaras, continue leading and protecting us as you have since Neopia began. Finally, to our enemies I say: caveat canis, beware the dog.