Kazan is a large dog. He is not aggressive, but he does not like it when strangers want to pet him. In such a case, he begins to growl. ‘It’s tiresome and stressing both for me and Kazan when I have to ask others not to touch him during walks,’ says Piotr, Kazan’s owner.
Ania has a small dachshund Boris, which does not tolerate other dogs. ‘He was severely bitten as a young dog, and now he’s aggressive at times. I always keep him on a leash, but sometimes another owner unleashes his dog towards Borys. When I ask him to call his dog back, I hear: he doesn't bite. But mine does!’
The yellow colour warns
There are also other situations in which a dog should not be approached or accosted: a disease or convalescence, an ongoing exercise or training course, or behavioural problems. A dog may also be timid or aggressive, too old or too tired to play with other dogs, or – in the case of a female dog – may be in heat.
The Yellow Dog project has been created to help dogs and their owners in all of these situations. It is an international campaign, under which a yellow bow or any other item in this colour is tied or attached to the collar of a dog that needs more space. In practice, this means that anyone who sees a dog with a yellow ribbon should keep a safe distance. The yellow colour is a message for other strollers that a given dog does not want any contact with other people or animals.
Every dog is different
It is worth stressing that attaching yellow items to dogs is not aimed at avoiding their socialisation or obedience training. But we must remember that every dog is different. Some have survived a serious trauma and are afraid of strangers or other dogs.
Instead of asking every individual person to leave our pet alone, it is better to use a sign that is recognisable on an increasingly large scale. And others should respect this and let our dog walk in peace.
