Dogster Tips

If You See a Yellow Ribbon on a Leash, Give That Dog Space

Some dogs need room because of temperament, training, or health. The Yellow Ribbon campaign hopes to provide that.

Carol Bryant  |  Sep 12th 2012  |  

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When you're out on a walk, does your dog sometimes need to stay away from other dogs? If you saw a yellow ribbon tied to the leash of a dog, would you proceed with caution and give the pooch some space? This is the hope of a Yellow Ribbon campaign we discovered on the Pit Bulls: Lost/Found/Missing/Stolen group on Facebook.

Labrador and yellow ribbon photos by Shutterstock.

Reasons a dog might need “space” are listed, and the goal is to let people know not to approach the dog. Perhaps your dog is in training, has health issues, or had a previous bad experience around other dogs. Whatever the case, the campaign is designed on the principle of respect. That is: My dog needs space, so kindly respect it.

Can yellow ribbons cause more harm than good?

I’ve yet to see a yellow ribbon on a dog’s leash in my travels, but perhaps this is something that needs to catch on. The “Yellow Dog” campaign website points out this ribbon is useful for owners of male dogs not to bring their animals close to female dogs in heat. The campaign has an accompanying Facebook page. 

Does yellow mean proceed with caution?

We're a little concerned that dissenters might see the ribbon as a “warning” notice that might fuel the “bully breeds are dangerous” mindset.

My thinking lends itself to “all dogs should have space,” and please do ask before you pet my dog. I particularly appreciate it when small children ask me first before petting my dog. My pooch looks like a walking stuffed animal, which can be a blessing as well as a curse. It takes an hour to get through the pet supply store (which can be a lot of fun) but only because we meet so many people. At times I wonder whether a yellow ribbon might be useful.

On the flip side, my dog is a Canine Good Citizen and one of the happiest little boys to walk the Earth, so I want him to be exposed to a lot of people and situations.

Apparently a red ribbon on the tail of a horse is a warning that it may kick, so people are advised to keep their distance. I discovered that while doing research for this piece. Did you know that?

The face says it all.

Some dogs are timid in public, particularly if they have been abused, so the yellow ribbon might be a warning to stay back and let the owner work on the timidity at a measured pace.