The meaning of the dog upon the Fool

[Thirteen]

"Here to remind you that you are here..."

Thanks for reviving this thread. It's got a wealth of information and great thoughts, and one I'm going to write down for sure: "I'm here to remind you that you're here." That, for me, says it all as to why the dog is in the Fool card, because it works no matter how that dog is pictured: whether pulling at the Fool's pants, biting him, or barking/trying to herd the Fool from the cliff.

The Fool, for better or worse, doesn't know where he is. He is either living in the moment, enjoying himself, or just distracted. He is "elsewhere" and not "here." If the dog is a not-nice dog, then its bite symbolizes a reminder that there are dangers as well as delightful things in the world, and we need to remember that; we can't get distracted by the one to the point where we ignore the other. Likewise if the dog pulls down the Fool's pants, making him look the fool. That's the dog saying, "If you were paying attention, I wouldn't be able to do this to you." i.e. "You're being a fool!" If, on the other hand, the dog is a nice dog, then its barks or herding might get the Fool's attention before he steps into trouble.

In all instances, the dog is a reminder of the "real world." The one the Fool isn't seeing, the one the Fool doesn't realize he is in. And the saying about the dog biting the man with torn pants is very apt. A person who s being a Fool, or just not paying attention, even if it's because other worries have him/her wildly distracted, is the one most likely to get into even more trouble. Either because they're distracted or because they're easy prey. The Fool card does indicate that we are in a vulnerable state, whether because we're being foolish or starting out all innocent. We can't protect ourselves, not yet.

 

[nisaba]

Actually, whether the card has a dog, lynx, or other animal is open to question.

Some of the earlier decks show a domestic cat.

I wondered more what to make of the symbolic significance, within a reading, of the action of the animal (let's call it a dog for argument's sake) on such a deck that has the full clarity of the Noblet deck - one of the earliest near fully extent decks from the 1600s, and very much a standard that appears to have been principally influential in the development of Tarot.

Could it have the same significance as saying 'keep your legs crossed'?

Perhaps. And the symbolism of the animal as a whole? It could be the querent's animal, instinctive nature. It could be a companion-animal, representing a beneficial presence in the querent's life.

And in different decks, the animal's action is different. In later decks it is bouncing around, acting like a companion-animal, perhaps keeping the Fool company happily or trying to attract the Fool's attention. In many earlier decks it is biting hard, even gnawing the Fool's leg, often with his hose turn and even drops of blood falling, indicating something far less benign.