If You See A Dog With A Red Collar, Be Very Careful Around It

Dog lovers know how hard it can be to resist giving some gentle pets to any adorable pup they pass walking down the street, however, there are some situations where they definitely should keep their hands to themselves. The most glaring one is if the dog’s owner warns that their pooch isn’t a fan of strangers, and it turns out that warning can come in more ways than just through words. The color of the animal’s collar can send that very important message if it is red.

A red collar or a red bandana, or even a red leash, could be the way a dog owner warns those around them. As for what it means, well just like with a traffic light, the color red should be associated with “stop.” Veterinarian Dr. Brian Evans explained to Reader’s Digest, “Red is the signal that this pet is aggressive and needs space from both people and other animals. These are pets that have been known to snap or bite at passersby, attack other dogs, or lunge at people. These pets may be perfectly fine at home with their owner but become overly protective of them when they are out.” Another animal behavior consultant stated, “The red bandana simply warns others to give the dog distance, yet allows the person and dog to participate in relative safety.”

Using colors as a way to communicate something about dogs has actually been going on for some time in professional settings. The National Association of Canine Scent Work is one of many groups that use different colors to send messages about pups. Yellow means that pets can be nervous and, because of that, unpredictable. Once again, like a traffic light, it means that you should slow down and be cautious around them, but there is no need to outright stop. And again like a traffic light, green means that the dog is approachable, but you should still ask for permission from their owner to approach. Meanwhile, orange signifies that a dog doesn’t interact well with other animals, and blue typically means that the pooch is a working dog, service animal or in training and shouldn’t be touched for those reasons.

So what should you do if you see a dog with something red on? Well it doesn’t always mean to stay away, it could just be the owner’s color preference, but regardless of what color a pooch’s collar is, you should always ask for permission before petting an unfamiliar dog.