Vancouver Is Giving Out Yellow Bandanas to Reactive Dogs to Signal Their Need for Space

Pet parents of reactive dogs — dogs who show an excessive or intense response to stimuli — know how tricky it can be to go on public excursions with their pets. Reactive pups need personal space, and it’s not always easy to convey that to well-intentioned strangers who want to give out chin scratches. But the Yellow Bandana Project, a new initiative by the city of Vancouver, BC, promises to help. 

“If you’ve ever walked a reactive dog, you know how hard it is to calm them down once they have been triggered,” says the city of Vancouver’s website. So, they’re giving their residents a way to communicate their pups’ needs ahead of time. The Yellow Bandana Project helps others identify reactive dogs; when they see a pup sporting a yellow bandana, they know to keep their distance and avoid overwhelming the dog. 

“There’s a difference between a reactive dog and an aggressive dog. I would say that’s an important distinction to make,” Kim Rosenmayer, an employee of the City of Vancouver Animal Services, explained on Global News BC. To illustrate her point, she was joined by an extremely chilled-out, sleepy Chihuahua named Lloyd, who sported a yellow bandana himself. Though Lloyd is peaceful while lying next to her on the couch, Rosenmayer explained that other young dogs and children can make him nervous. “A reactive dog will react to common stimuli that might not bother other dogs,” she said. 

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Those reactions might include undesirable behaviors like yanking on their leashes, barking, or running to hide. Sometimes dogs are easily overexcited, and sometimes they’re anxious. “Some dogs just need a little extra space,” Rosenmayer said. 

Vancouver isn’t the first to try this solution. They took inspiration from Yellow Dog UK, an organization that provides resources for the pet parents of reactive dogs. On its website, Yellow Dog UK asks that people avoid approaching dogs who are wearing a yellow ribbon or bandana. 

Pet parents who have their dogs licensed with the city of Vancouver can email animal.services@vancouver.ca, call 311, or stop by Animal Services to get a free yellow bandana. Rosenmayer adds that, wherever you live, any yellow bandana or ribbon can be used to spread the word about the Yellow Dog Project and help signal your own pup’s boundaries.

The farther the initiative spreads, the better. As it gains in popularity, it becomes a more effective signal. “When I go walking in my local park with Lloyd, I’ve been using it,” Rosenmayer said. “People are starting to recognize the signal, and they’ll leash [their off-leash dogs] up. It’s a much more pleasant kind of interaction with other dog owners.”