Here's why the City of Vancouver is giving out yellow bandanas to some dog owners

This photo shows a dog wearing a yellow bandana, a sign that it is "reactive." (Credit: vancouver.ca)

Vancouver owners of dogs that get easily overwhelmed or agitated are being encouraged to outfit their pups with a city-supplied yellow bandana.

The city's Yellow Bandana Project is for owners of so-called "reactive dogs." These dogs exhibit a number of potentially challenging behaviours when encountering other dogs or human strangers that include barking, yanking on their leashes and trying to run and hide, among other things.

"If you’ve ever walked a reactive dog, you know how hard it is to calm them down once they have been triggered," the city's website says.

The idea behind the yellow bandana is that it gives other people walking dogs a visual cue that they are approaching a reactive dog and – hopefully – encourages those approaching to take precautions, like distancing.

The reasons for the behaviour can include past trauma and some medical conditions, but can also just be a result of a shy, anxious or nervous temperament.

The number of city-supplied bandanas is limited and only those with licensed dogs who live in the city can claim one.

"If you don't live in Vancouver, you can still participate in this project by buying a plain yellow bandana, leash, ribbon, or dog vest. By participating, you're helping raise awareness for the initiative," the city's website says, also noting the use of yellow to signal a reactive dog is something that has been taken up by other jurisdictions, including internationally in places like Australia and the U.K.

More information is available online.