In 2022, My Anxious Dog surveyed a national group of owners of nervous dogs to explore the impact of our first national dogs in yellow day.
#dogsinyellow is an awareness raising campaign to educate and spread understanding among dog owners and the general public, so that more people know what to do when they see a dog in yellow.
In just 12 months, since the first National Dogs In Yellow Day on 20th March 2022, a huge 91 percent of owners of nervous, shy or reactive dogs say they no longer feel like prisoners in their own homes and are able to enjoy life.
Why do we need a dogs in yellow day?
Sarah, who founded My Anxious Dog and #dogsinyellow day is on a mission inspired by her own dog, Cocker Spaniel Bella.
She said: “I started the awareness campaign because I got fed up with people saying, ‘No-one knows what it means,’ and ‘What's the point?’
In 2022, Sarah surveyed 1000 owners about how the impact of their dog's wearing yellow since the national campaign.
We are now able to provide an unrivalled source of information relating to anxious, nervous and reactive dogs.
Anxiety in Dogs - Survey Results
The survey found that owners of dogs suffering with anxiety are finding the confidence to go out on walks, visit pubs and cafes and take part in sporting activities, all thanks to successful awareness campaigning for #dogsinyellow
- 89% of owners surveyed use yellow space awareness products
- Over 78% of owners surveyed who use yellow space awareness dog accessories report they enjoy their walks more, feel more confident and calmer.
- Only 8% felt that wearing yellow dog accessories was ineffective
- 32% of owners surveyed say using yellow space awareness products has helped them to visit pubs/cafes or try dog training classes or activities with their dogs.
- 66% of owners using yellow say it has reduced the number of people/dogs they come into contact with on walks.
- 91% of owners using yellow space awareness products for their dogs are working to increase awareness of what it means in their local area and online.
How do yellow dog accessories help anxious dogs?
Sarah Jones runs a community for anxious dog owners and makes yellow space awareness accessories so other dogs keep away and created the #DogsInYellow awareness campaign last year.
In just 12 months since the first National Dogs In Yellow Day in 2022, a huge 91 percent of owners of nervous, shy or reactive dogs say they no longer feel like prisoners in their own homes and are able to enjoy life.
Sarah shared: “As the owner of an anxious dog, it broke my heart knowing that so many dogs and their owners were suffering and that it could be resolved with a little consideration from other people.
“It is amazing to hear that 91 percent of owners now find wearing yellow makes their walks more enjoyable, and that 32 per cent are taking their dogs into pubs and restaurants and training classes.
“No-one who loves dogs wants to see another dog suffer or in distress and it is encouraging to see attitudes are changing and that the message is getting out there.”
Accessories for Anxious Dogs
Sarah, 56, from Berkshire/Hampshire began making yellow harnesses and dog leads with ‘anxious’ and ‘keep away' messaging for Bella, now 10, when she realised she was terrified of other dogs and being touched by people.
Bella's birth was traumatic and her mum needed an emergency C section, then Bella was attacked by a litter mate as a pup, and suffered a nasty injury to her spine aged nine months at a training class.
It was when she started snapping at people that Sarah realised she needed to spell it out to keep away from Bella, which was challenging as she was an adorable puppy.
Then Sarah was approached by other anxious dog owners who wanted a way to protect their dogs and so she started a community group for nervous dog owners that has grown to 12,000 members.
Nine out of ten owners now educate others on what yellow means
Over a third of dog owners surveyed reported they were proud to show they were sticking up for their dog’s wishes by wearing yellow, and only two per cent said they felt self conscious.
Sarah added: “It’s been incredible hearing about the impact of #DogsInYellow in such a short space of time.
“My dream is for this to continue and for anxious dog owners to enjoy life as regular dog owners do, not to have the stress of constantly explaining and be proud of their dog in yellow.”
To show your support, join in by sharing posts on social media using the #DogsInYellow hashtag.
The #dogsinyellow report will continue to be the benchmark for gaining an insight into how UK owners of anxious or reactive dogs continue to advocate and for their dogs in yellow.
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