Fu Dogs – Temple Lion’s placement for your home or office.
Updated by Daniel Hanna 2023 ©
Are you prepared for 2024 – The start of period 9 Feng Shui?
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Fu Dogs are extremely powerful protection for your home or business; you will find most homes or businesses in Asia complemented by a pair either inside or outside. Out of all the cures and enhancers in Feng Shui, Fu Dogs, in our opinion, are the most essential. They come in all shapes and sizes, and some of the homes I have visited all over the world display some of the most magnificent pairs I have seen, especially the ones in Asia, although you would be amazed at how many I have noticed that have been placed incorrectly and this is even in southeast Asia.
The most impressive are Beijing’s Forbidden City, as shown below; these are really amazing to see.
They are also known as guardian Lions, lion dogs, or temple lions. We consult on hundreds of homes and businesses each year, and around 70% will have Fu Dogs either placed by the door or windowsills; I would also say that 50% are placed in the wrong order; check below for confirmation.
Where do I place Fu Dogs in 2023?
For protection in 2023, you should place a pair of Fu Dogs – temple Lions in the southif they are red coloured or in the northwest if they are made from metal, especially if you have a main door in either of these locations. As with all Feng Shui cures and enhancers, you should make sure you cleanse all your symbolic ornaments. We cleanse all ours every 3-4 months by washing them and then placing them outside in a full moon or direct sunlight for at least 2-3 hours. By doing this, you cleanse them of negative energy and empower them with positive Sheng qi energy.
You will find many variations on websites, some will have a globe or ball under one paw, and others will have a Cub under another paw; the most important thing to remember is the order placement and not which foot the ball or cub is under.
Fu dogs are associated with Buddhism and are used to deflect negative energy (sha qi) and will see them outside or inside many homes throughout the world and nearly always outside a Chinese restaurant, especially around London Chinatown.
You must first Identify the female and male fu dog. Fu dogs are always displayed in a pair and placed in a particular order and direction. The female fu dog is sculpted with a cub under her right paw. The male has a globe beneath his left paw. Make sure you know which is which by looking for these physical characteristics.
Establish a space outside a door or window big enough for your fu dogs, and do not make the mistake of thinking that bigger is better; place a pair that looks the correct size.
You must always face the Fu Dogs, so they are facing outward, away from the building. They must always be facing the same direction and not placed at an angle. They will safeguard the home or office from harm, whether this is negative sha qi energy, thieves or evil spirits. The fu dogs will not be able to do their job if they are facing toward the building.
Correct placement for Fu Dogs
Picture of Fu Dogs taken in London China town (a nice rainy March day in 2001)
Fu Dog (Female) at Beijing’s Forbidden City (a lovely sunny day) This magnificent bronze Fu dog is one of six pairs scattered throughout the Forbidden City.
Temple Lions with plain balls under feet.
These are a magnificent pair on a plinth available here.
Fu Dogs with plain balls under feet.
These are very common and popular as mistakes cannot be made with placement.
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© Daniel Hanna, Feng Shui Store 2023
I would like to place the foo dog in my office cubicle. My back is to the open entrance. I am facing the 2 computer monitors. Can the foo dog place on the 2 sides of the monitor? That means I am also facing the foo dog statues.
Hi Gina,
From what you’ve described, it may be best to place a Dragon statue on your desk, facing away for protection.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi, I’m not sure what you meant by facing away? Do you mean have the dragon statue facing away from me? Or facing me & between the 2 monitors? My back is to the open entrance. I am facing the 2 computer monitors.
Many thanks
Gina
Hi Gina,
I would place the Dragon facing away from you for protection.The front of the Dragons face would be looking towards the same direction as you are looking.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi there,
I just got a pair of Fu Dogs and I intend to put them in my room, within a house. Can I place the Fu Dogs together on top of a short cupboard in the middle of the room and facing directly at the room door (which leads to the living room), or must I place it on both sides of the room door which is facing my living room?
Another possible direction would be facing the window in the northwest direction, and also on the short cupboard in the middle of the room but closer to the window.
Thanks so much!
Hi Keane,
Ideally they should be placed with their backs to a wall although this is sometimes hard to do i prefer the second option closer to the window as they are more protective here.
Best wishes
Michael
Hi. I have a pair of small fu dogs about 4inches. Can I place them both together on my small window right next to the door. I can’t place them separately on either side of the door since I only have one window to the right of my door.
Hi Kari,
If these cannot be placed on either side, this will be fine to place them together as long as they are on the right side of each other.
I hope this helps 🙂
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hello,
I received a new pair of Fu Dogs as a gift. To replace my older Fu Dogs I wanted to place a pair at the in front away of the door outside as usual.
And also place the older pair in the backyard facing away from the gate door fence.
Is that possible?
Hi Nikki,
This will be absolutely fine, and it is quite common to have more than one pair of Fu Dogs in a building.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Is it ok to have 2 pairs of foo dogs guarding an ADA compliant door with a ramp to the back parking lot and another bigger pair of foo dogs guarding the door facing the street? We have a small wholistic health care facility.
Hi Tevy,
This will be fine to place the two sets of Fu Dogs at either door.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hello our house runs north south with a long open hallway from the front door, through the house to an open back living room and double French doors which we often haven open.
I have a pair of small for dogs at our front door facing out.
I have just bought a large pair to go outside, but I really want them facing in (and facing south) as I want to see them when I’m inside.
Can this be done?
Hi Meg,
I wouldn’t recommend having the Fu Dogs facing towards your home as this would symbolise a lack of protection and could cause more bad than good.
Kind regards,
Daniel
I just got a pair of fu dogs at an estate sale. Can they be placed on an entryway table that faces the front door directly?
Hi Jessica,
These will be fine to place inside of your home on the table, facing towards the front door.
I would recommend cleansing these before placing them inside of your home to make sure that any negative energy attached to them is removed; here is a link for this – https://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/lunarcalendar2011.htm
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
Can my Foo Dogs be placed on the northeast window sill above my bed facing my southwest bedroom door which leads outside. My dogs would be at a slight angle and slightly facing each other as the window sill is not quite wide enough to accommodate their base.
Thank you,
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
That will be fine as long as the Fu Dogs are facing away from the home and are not looking into the house too much. It would be better to place them either side of the windowsill facing directly out as this will still have the same effect.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Daniel
Can Fu Dogs be placed facing outward on windowsill near front door?
Hi Kris,
This will be absolutely fine 🙂
Kind regards,
Daniel