The Dog is shown playing with the fish head. In oriental mythology fish symbolizes abundance, wealth, fertility, and harmony.

The netsuke is carved of an extremely rare material - rib of extinct Steller´s sea cow inhabited near the shore of the Commander Islands.

The Dog is the second work out of the twelve animals of the oriental horoscope series to be carved of this precious material. Inlay is made of apricot pit, jet and red corall.