Firstly, it’s important that both you and your dog are easy to spot while out walking at night. This can be easily achieved by simply adding an LED light to your dogs’ collar. Below are a couple of our favourites;

Orbiloc Dog Dual Safety Light

Orbiloc Dog Dual is a Danish-made high quality LED Safety Light designed to keep both you and your dog safe. Orbiloc Dog Dual is made to withstand whatever your dog puts it through. It is waterproof to a depth of 100 meters and it can withstand a load of 100 kg.

Ruffwear Beacon Safety Light

The Ruffwear Beacon is a high-performance safety light to help keep dogs visible in low-light conditions or inclement weather. The Beacon is durable and waterproof, with an easy-to-use Quick Clip to attach to your dog’s collar. The light is rechargeable, with indicator lights to let you know when it’s charging, or the battery is low.

Don’t forget to also make yourself as visible as possible – You can buy reflective strips which can be added to your clothes.

Even if you live in an area without much traffic, and your dog has an excellent recall, at night your dog should always be kept on their lead. Dogs can get startled by people or animals suddenly emerging from the dark which could cause them to run, and it’s a lot harder to find a lost dog in the dark. Plus it's also important to remember that dogs see much better than we do in low light.
For those reasons don’t take anything for granted when walking your dog in the dark. Your dog may spot something you don’t and rush away in search of it. It’s often those unexpected bursts of speed that lead to an accident.

In addition to gearing up against the cold and dark, it’s important to use caution and common sense when walking your dog at night. You don’t need to be afraid, just cautious. Cars, joggers, cyclists, and other dog walkers may not be paying attention, and can startle your dog at night. Stay off your phone and ditch the headphones when walking your dog at night.

Familiarity helps, so during the darker months stick to familiar routes you know at night and leave any new adventures for daytime.

Top Artwork by Tatsuro Kiuchi