The Yellow Dog Project

I live in a neighborhood that is absolutely brimming with dogs. People from all walks of life can be seen with everything from the tiniest to the biggest dogs, and in every combination of breeds you can think of.

At any time during the day, I can look out from my porch and see at least one person with at least one dog, and it's really great.

Well…most of the time. My pug Robot is for all intents and purposes a "bad dog" to people who aren't in our family. As a rescue from an abusive past he is very nervous about strangers, and he does NOT get along with other dogs. Robot also has leash aggression which makes walks difficult at best.

The people in my area all have such great friendly animals who love socializing. Unfortunately this means that when I take Robot out on his daily walks, it is a struggle to keep him calm, and to keep well-meaning people and pets safe. I would find myself crossing streets or yelling like a lunatic to get people to stay away for their safety and for the sanity of my poor pup.

It is really hard to be the person with the mean dog. It is especially hard to be the person with a really cute mean dog. Children flock to him, and pet parents do as well. They want to have play dates and talk about pet stories together while the whole time I am working hard to keep poor Robot from having a heart attack, or hurting someone out of fear.

I was getting to my wits end when I found out about the Yellow Dog Project (http://www.theyellowdogproject.com). This information was so helpful that I wanted to share it with other people who have found themselves in the same situation.

The Yellow Dog Project is an initiative to help inform people about dogs who for any reason should not be approached while they are on the leash. Is your dog in training, and trying to focus? Is your dog afraid of children? Do you just not want to be interrupted on your daily walks? How do you let people know, in a polite way, that you prefer they stay away? It's simple: you tie a yellow ribbon to the leash of your pet while you are walking them. People can see this signal from a distance and know at a glance not to approach your pooch.

This fantastic idea has helped many animals and people feel more confident and safe while out in their communities. It can help many more too! Do you know a doggy who needs a little space? Share the news with their owners! Spread the word that a yellow ribbon means "give me space!"

Do you have a yellow ribbon story to share with us? We would love to hear your "tail"! Contact us at: https://www.petplace.com/write-for-us