What does that yellow ribbon mean? The Yellow Dog Project!
Note: As of July 2025, The Yellow Dog Project’s website seems to be gone. Some of the ideas below are still good ones, but this article is from 2013, so take it with a grain of salt. :-)
The Yellow Dog Project, as their Facebook page explains, "is a global movement for parents of dogs that need space (aka DINOS, Dogs In Need Of Space)."The Yellow Dog Project helps dog owners identify dogs who are uncomfortable around other dogs and need space in order to keep their cool and stay healthy and safe. Many times, dogs who are hurt, scared, nervous, reactive, elderly, or in training are forced to deal with daily incidents of off-leash or out of control dogs, rushing up to greet them while they're out on a walk.
The Yellow Dog Project is a way to identify these dogs so that other owners know to keep their dogs closer, or give the Yellow Dog and his human time to get out of the way, when passing them in public.The Yellow Dog Project encourages owners of Yellow Dogs to put a yellow ribbon on his leash. If you are out with your dog, and you see a dog wearing a yellow ribbon, please give the dog space, and (always) be sure your dog is properly leashed unless you're in a legal off-leash area.
As many of my students' dogs are shy, fearful, or reactive around others, or simply attempting to practice their good manners, this subject is close to my heart. It can be very stressful for many well-meaning pet parents to take their dog for a walk, knowing that an off-leash or retractable leashed dog could be around any corner. And those folks with puppies or new dogs who are learning to greet other people and dogs politely while taking a walk can have a hard time teaching these lessons when other dogs are allowed to greet them without permission.
This project is doing so many wonderful things for people and their DINOS or Yellow Dogs, and for dogs and their humans in general. Let's spread the education and help the movement grow in San Diego!
(Note: Just to be clear, while I support and appreciate these projects, I'm not the creator of either of them. For more information on The Yellow Dog Project, visit www.theyellowdogproject.com. For more information on DINOS, visit www.dogsinneedofspace.com.)