That’s why your roommate reacted too. In some circles, using a red collar on a friendly or non-reactive dog might cause confusion—or even be seen as disrespectful, especially if someone avoids your dog unnecessarily or misjudges its temperament.

Here’s a breakdown of what different collar/leash colors can imply (though it’s not universal):

•  Red – “I need space” / “Do not approach”

•  Yellow – “Nervous” or “anxious,” approach with caution

•  Green – “Friendly” and approachable

•  Purple – “Do not feed”

•  White – Often used for deaf or blind dogs

•  Blue – Sometimes used for working/service dogs

So what should you do?

If your dog, Pecan, is friendly and non-reactive, you can still use the red collar—there’s