The 1st free stitch Yellow Dog Project Event Report

We are pleased to report that the first Yellow Dog Project event was held on Saturday 23rd November 2022 at the free stitch showroom in Harajuku, Tokyo.

We invited some ‘yellow dog’ members to join the event. Each of the dogs has been designated as a ‘yellow dog’ as they have various needs and requirements for understanding from their communities.

What is the Yellow Dog Project?

The Yellow Dog Project is an initiative that originated in Sweden in 2012 in which yellow ribbons and bandanas are attached to leashes and collars to indicate to others dogs who have special needs.  

At our Yellow Dog Project event, we provide each dog and owner an hour to relax and enjoy our Harajuku showroom before getting an individual consultation from a dog trainer about ways in which we as owners can help make the lives of our ‘yellow dogs’ more comfortable. The dogs who attend can also participate in a photo session if their owner wishes. 

On this occasion, we were joined by five dogs and their owners.

Unfortunately, due to the dogs being in a new and unfamiliar environment, we noted that it was difficult to see how the dogs would normally act - some of the dogs were very shy and some of them showed unusual behavior, according to their owners. 

One of our regular trainers, Mr. Sasaki from the training studio ‘ABOUT DOGS’, was on hand to give advice on how to understand and help ‘yellow dogs’ get the best out of their lives with their owners. 

Below are the names and breeds of the dogs that attended the event this time:

1. Genta (Pomeranian x Maltese)

Personality: nervous, timid, but aggressive under certain circumstances

2. Tiki (Cavalier x Poodle)

Personality: short-tempered, nervous, scared

3. Lauren (Australian Labradoodle)

Personality: nervous, timid 

4. Cecil (Shih-Tzu)

Personality: lonely, scared, afraid of children and men 

5. Mamejiro (Pomeranian)

Personality: lonely, nervous, scared, but aggressive under certain circumstances

As the Yellow Dog Project gains more and more awareness within the Japanese pet owner community, we hope to hold these events more regularly.

If you wish to join our event, please contact us via our inquiry form to receive an attendance application form and questionnaire (Japanese only).