Yellow Ribbon

I wish it would catch on. I don't have reactive dogs, but I don't like strange dogs approaching mine under any circumstance without my permission so would love a yellow ribbon to keep strange dogs away from mine. Too many people don't read dog well enough to know if letting their dog visit mine is actually a safe idea.
I would also love the same idea for people for shopping in stores 0:) I happen to like my personal space, and am really not a people person. It would be nice to have some warning signal that no, I don't need help nor want to be pestered, and it certainly doesn't give employees permission to approach me from behind, touch me, and startle me. I had that happen the other week in the store when i was bent over looking at something on a lower shelf. I do not think it is good form for a stranger to come up and touch me without knowing how I feel about that. I do not like to be touched by strangers.
Funny, I have no reactive dogs. I am the reactive one.
 
Anyone know what a yellow ribbon on leash means?

It seems if a dog has a yellow ribbon on its leash it means people & other dogs need to give it space. I have never seen a dog with a yellow ribbon on its leash. I bet most people don't know this. I disagree about the yellow ribbon with the person blogging on this link. They are of the opinion that it implies the dog is vicious & might give the breed a bad rep. Or at least that's how I took it.The "beware of dog" label would make me think the dog was not friendly.
I think if your dog isn't receptive to being approached by people or other dogs there should be some way to show that other than telling people before they get too close. Having had some very skittish shelties I know that socializing them is hard so having people or other dogs come up before your dog is ready can really set you back. It's tough because the dogs need to be socialized or get used to certain settings but you don't want them overloaded. What do you guys think?

http://dogknobit.com/2012/08/30/bew...on-a-good-idea-or-it-is-asking-for-a-lawsuit/
 
Thanks for the link. I must have missed that post. I saw mention of it on my local humane society's Facebook page. Maybe the national Humane Society of America & the SPCA need to start promoting this. It could have value to dog owners & people that just love to pet dogs.
 
Sounds like a great idea, even if people didn't know what it meant maybe it might make them stop and think for a moment.

TBH, I don't think I need a visual signal that Yogi is reactive as the audible one works too well, :uhoh: but I was thinking only the other day about getting myself a high viz tabard saying something which indicates my dogs are not comfortable with strange dogs running up to them, but I kind of got stuck on how to word it, other than "Nervous Dogs - Keep Your Distance!" Trouble is by the time people are close enough to read it then they're going to be too close for comfort....
 
I would'nt take it as the dog was vicious,I would take it that the dog needs space. And one must always ask permission to pet,as far as I am concerned.

I would not ever use one on my shelties leashes,but I would use one on my lab if he were in public. Earnhardt does not take kindly to people rushing up on him,he needs time to get to know someone.
 
Sounds like a good idea, but most people are so focused on interacting with the dog I doubt they would notice a yellow ribbon. Just as some have mentioned, people young and old will walk up to a barking, lunging dog or try to follow the dog as it hides behind the owners back and pet the dog. Many people will even ignore warnings owners give concerning the possibility of their dog biting them. Maybe a big tv campaign would help inform people, but most people just don't read dogs very well. Everybody thinks they are the dog whisperer...:cool:
 
I don't think it would work well in Philadelphia, it seems lately everyone thinks their dog is "friendly" so they walk their dogs off leash on city sidewalks, and in parks that are non off leash This morning I witness someone with their rotti mix in the park(clearly marked all dogs must be leashed) letting his dog rush another dog owner, he runs up to the dog, picks u the leash, then again, lets his dog run up to another dog. I was furious, second time I saw this nut job do this.

Today, I was walking Beau and I had no less then three dogs off leash charge at us and as I'm yelling at the owner to get their dog they are looking at me like I'm the crazy one. its' not about the dog being friendly, or unfriendly, no ones dog has the right to just approach anyone on or off a leash. I'm waiting for the day when one of these idiots lets their dog run up and be in Beau' face and then they start fighting. Its a huge pain in the butt and its also why I try to walk beau early Morning, and mid afternoon and then we are done.

Beau just poke me in the butt, that's my cue got to get off and give him some Momma Love before bedtime. The life of a dog
 
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This was the response I posted:

To me this is much ado about nothing. Of course, this may be because I live in Canada, which doesn’t tend to have as many issues with lawsuits as the States does. The ribbon concept is similar to the TACT vests, but more discreet. I would actually tend to use the TACT vest more, because it is so much clearer. My dogs are beautifully behaved, and their appearance is very “soft” (one is a sheltie, the other is a sheltie/husky/corgi x), and I would certainly consider using either the vest or the yellow ribbon (if it became better known) for both of them at various points in their training.

As far as I’m concerned, no matter what visual cue people use, the idea is about protecting the dog, not the human. We live in a society in which everyone feels they should be able to pet every dog they run into, and that’s simply not fair to the dogs. When I bring my dogs into stores, it does not mean it’s a free-for-all and all of a sudden they have become public property – it simply means they are coming into a store with me. I do not want people touching my dogs without my permission, just as I wouldn’t strangers touching my children without permission. If people ask politely, and if my dogs show an interest in meeting them, permission is usually granted. If my dogs show no interest in meeting the person, or I am using my time to train my dog in a certain behaviour (ie. focus work), the answer will be “no”.

The second problem is people who know absolutely nothing about canine body language often want their dog to meet my dog, even when either/both dogs are giving off clear warning signals. I was at an agility trial last week, and I went to potty my dog in a nearby area. A woman approached with a shih tzu who was straining at the leash, barking and growling. Both of my dogs stayed quietly in a heel position, but stiffened. This lady had every intention of bringing her dog over to meet mine, insisting that her dog “only growls until he meets the other dog”. Of course I told her absolutely not, but this strange insistence on having every dog meet has become typical of our society. A visual cue may help owners avoid conflict, especially if they are uncomfortable with a verbal response since it sometimes comes off as rude.

I’m a dog trainer, and one of the first things I address in my beginners/puppy k class is “manners” – for the humans – not the dogs. We talk about why it’s rude to pet a dog without asking permission, why you should never introduce two dogs without the permission of the other owner, how to tell if the other owner has their dog under enough control to be confident in their ability to control the situation, etc. Unfortunately, most people who own dogs don’t bother to take classes. In an ideal world, people would become educated enough to realize they have to ask before touching a dog, but until then I think the vests are a great visual cue.
 
We sell these at the dog club, not a lot of sales yet, although they are only relatively new stock and I haven't had a chance to market. They are neoprene - the bandana attaches to the collar and there is a sleeve that goes over the lead. I think they are a fantastic idea and much better than a yellow ribbon which requires people to actually know what it's about. Yellow ribbons are used to signify so many causes that I think it would confuse people more. The bandanas are also available for deaf and blind dogs (http://www.blackdog.net.au/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=5) which is fantastic.

I'm sure though it would be easy enough to make your own if you were interested - you could use a colourful stubby holder and a permanent marker. I'd be inclined to take away the exclamation mark myself.
 

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