Skip to content
The Importance of Night Time Visibility
There are many reasons that you should use lighted products for your dog. Night time dog visibility is important. Using a lighted dog collar, or another lighted product will help you keep track of your dog’s movements in the dark, and make sure pedestrians, drivers, and other animals can see them as well.
Night time dog walking presents a few issues. Even a dog with a coat of a lighter color can be almost impossible to see in the dark. Having some kind of light on your dog will make sure you don’t lose them while outside at night.
There are nocturnal animals that you or your dog may encounter. Having your dog on a lighted leash will not only prevent your dog from bolting, but the light from the leash will also illuminate the path a bit. This will allow you to see what is ahead and will warn any critters of your approach.
Utilizing a light up dog product will also also help keep you and your dog safe from cars. Drivers are at least 74% more likely to injure you or your dog at night because of low nighttime visibility.(https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812375)
By adding an LED spot light to your dog’s collar or by incorporating a reflective leash to your nightly walking routine, you can make your dog visible at night time and may end up saving their life!
“What Can I Use to Make My Dog Visible At Night?”
From your dog’s collar, to its leash and beyond, there are plenty of options to choose from when looking for ways to make your dog easier to see at night. Here are just a few things you can use.
A dog collar light is a waterproof, and impact resistant option that fits directly on a dog's existing collar, harness or leash. It's easy to turn on--you just twist the light from left to right. Omnidirectional LED light makes it possible to see your dog from any angle, and is rated for over 100,000 hours of use.
An LED rechargeable dog collar is a great way to make your dog visible at night, without worrying about batteries that could fall out during dog play. These have ultra-bright LED lights that can be seen from 1/4 of a mile away, which will give plenty of time for your dog to be spotted from far away.
Consider an LED rechargeable dog leash to match your LED collar. Leashes can be seen from 1/4 of a mile away and have built in reflective strips in the event that your battery dies unexpectedly. As with any rechargeable product, make sure to plug it in every so often to keep the battery fully charged.
The fall months can get much cooler at night, so when you are taking your dog for a walk in the evening, a vest can be a great addition for your dog to keep warm. A reflective dog vest will make sure the dog is not only warm, but visible from any angle due to its reflective material sewn into both sides of the jacket. The durable material is not only wind and waterproof but it is also machine washable which makes it simple to clean.
“How Will Daylight Savings Time Affect My Nightly Walking Routine?”
The approach of Fall means the end of Daylight Savings Time, and while most humans relish the extra hour of sleep they get, the change has a tendency to throw your dog for a loop. For starters your dog might get antsy when they are accustomed to being walked at a specific time, and daylight savings time has a disruptive effect on their circadian rhythm. You might try slightly adjusting their schedule to fit the change in time. Go walking just a few minutes later, feed them a little bit later, etc. Don’t make them wait too long, only long enough for them to make sense of the changes.
Another thing to remember about Daylight Savings time is that the daylight hours are shorter in the evening, and what is usually a sunset walk with your dog can quickly become a pitch black walk in the dark if you don’t plan ahead and bring a flashlight, or equip your animal friend with some sort of LED or Lighted product.
Once you have your dog suited up for their night time walk, there are a few general tips for walking your dog at night that you will want to remember.
1.) Always make sure to have your dog on a leash.
The dog’s leash is it’s lifeline while the two of your are out for a walk. Not only will the leash protect your dog from cars in traffic, but it will also keep them from bolting after rodents in the underbrush, or other unleashed dogs. It’s also the law!
2.) Keep your dog & yourself lighted
Keeping you and your dog lighted will help people see you, and will help you keep a fix on your dog’s location if your dog has a tendency of getting off leash. It will warn people ahead of your approach and again, it will help motorists to see you and the dog and avoid a crash or an injury to your animal.
3.) Make sure your dog's tags are up to date
Aside from that fact that most states require it, in the unfortunate event that your dog gets away from you and becomes lost, it is important to make sure their tags are up to date in case of emergency. An up to date tag is the easiest way for a person who might find your animal to get in touch with you, as it often takes 24 hours or more for chipping companies to get in contact with the owners of missing animals.
4.) Stay in familiar areas
Avoid danger at night by making sure to stay in familiar areas and use walking paths and trails that you know. Reduced visibility due to the darkness can make it easy to get lost while walking your dog, and walking in unfamiliar areas can potentially be dangerous due to the fact that you don’t always know how well lit the route will be, and can be easily surprised by a person or an animal hidden on the trail.
5.) Stay on the sidewalk, and pay attention to traffic signs and signals.
Just as you would do when by yourself, it is best to make attempts to cross the road while walking your dog at places denoted as crosswalks, so that motorists will be more aware of potential hazards in the road. This is especially important to remember now that it is Fall, and evenings are becoming much shorter.
6.) Add a reflective vest for warmth & visibility
Walking your dog at night can mean that you may be experiencing much lower temperatures on your walks than your dog may be used to. A lighted vest will not only make your dog much easier to see, but it also has the added benefit of being an extra layer of warmth for your dog. You may also be cold while walking, and you can add your own reflective vest to your nightly walking apparel which will help keep you a bit warmer, and will also make you and your dog doubly as visible in the evening. Remember, if you are cold so is your dog!
There are a ton of simple steps you can take to help make your dog visible at night, and plenty of reasons to do so. Lighted dog products will help make them easier to see, and make it much easier to keep your dog from harm’s way at night.
Leave a comment