Lighted Dog Collars
Buying a lighted dog collar and/or leash is one of the cheapest and easiest investments you can make to keep your dog safe. There are many options available for both collars and leashes. The premise behind the products is to create light so that cars or people can easily spot your dog. Many collars have blinking lights that go all the way around the collar so you can see your dog at any angle. The lights flicker or blink to increase the visibility of the collar and are behind the dog's eyes and don't disturb the dog. However, if you think your dog might be sensitive to the lights, we recommend a lighted flickering collar or a glow collar.
There are three options for lighted dog collars:
- Lighted blinking LED collars (LED model made by Visiglo)
- Lighted flickering collars (Sports model made by Visiglo)
- Glowing collars (made by Niteize)
There are other collars that have a sparkly surface on them that are supposed to reflect light at night but we haven't had a satisfactory experience with them. We found the collars too hard to adjust and the light didn't reflect well. As a result, we don't carry those items. All of the lighted collars are a bit clunky to adjust at first because the technology makes them a bit stiff but you normally have to only do it once.
We recommend always having the back up batteries with a small flashlight or a spotlit on hand in case the batteries run out. They normally last 35-40 hours.
Length of your dog's hair.
If your dog is short-haired any of the above options work best. If you have a long-haired dog, then the blinking LED lights are the best since they are most visible under their long hair.
Conditions of Use
If you are letting your dog roam in the woods or the backyard then we recommend the Visiglo collars because they are the most visible. If your dog is swimming in a lake or a pool, remove the lighted collar, and put on a cloth or nylon collar. For visibility in water, we recommend the spotlits, which float above your dog and are waterproof.
Older Dogs
Many people find as their dogs age that they are restless at night and typically have poor eyesight and hearing. They are worried about stepping on the dog during the night. The Niteize glow collar is perfect for this situation because the gentle glow lets you know where your dog is without disturbing your sleep.
Dog Parks
Any lighted collar will work but you might also consider the Spotlit. It hangs under their collar and has a flicker and glow setting. The white is used by the military and is super bright. Also popular are the blinkie lights and the puplights, which also serve as a flashlight for your dog.
Lighted Leashes
A lighted dog leash is the perfect complement to the lighted dog collar. The leash forms a visible line between you and the dog protecting you both while you are walking. The same flickering or blinking lights create a bright light that draws drivers' eyes to you both. THE LED leashes are the most visible and come in a variety of styles. There are also glow leashes and reflective leashes that are not quite as visible. Once you walk at night with this leash, you will not want to walk at night without one.
To protect you at night, I recommend wearing a reflective arm band or lighted accessory to protect you at night, particularly when you aren't with your dog.
With the change in daylight savings time upon us but with the great fall weather, there's no better time to get out there and walk safely.
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Writting by Karen Gold. She runs Keepdoggiesafe.com, and has been working with pets for the past 30 years. Keep Doggie Safe researches and tests all of the products with a research panel for durability, visibility, quality materials, and warranties. Karen can be contacted at topdog@keepdoggiesafe.com.
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