How to Keep Your Dog Safe in the Dark

As the evenings start to draw in earlier and earlier as the autumn begins to wrap its arms around us, many of us dog owners will be thinking about our evening strolls with our four-legged friends and how we can stay safe, shielded, visible and well out of the way of any danger.

Darker nights inevitably lead to a greater risk to your dogs and yourself, with lack of visibility being the main issue, potentially leading to incidents with vehicles, other dogs and the unthinkable problem of losing your canine companion. 

Thankfully there are a few straightforward things that any responsible dog owner can enact that will lead to delightfully dusky walks and nerve-free nighttime jaunts.

In this post, we will be discussing the best methods for keeping you and your dogs safe during your nighttime wanderings, we will also be highlighting some of the best protective products around, so you and your furry friends can make it through to spring unscathed. 

Dog Walking at Night - Safety Precautions

Perhaps the most important thing to remember as the sun starts to disappear at night is the fact that your dogs still need to exercise and play as much as they do in the summer months. Sticking to a good routine of exercise should also be a priority and it being dark and cold outside isn't a good enough excuse to stay in. Lack of exercise can also cause issues when you do go out as your dog may be extra exhilarated and become overexcited and uncontrollable, potentially leading to accidents. 

Keeping a routine with your routes can also be a good way of preventing problems during your nighttime rambles. Familiar paths and walks will keep your dog comfortable as well as enabling you to know exactly what is around the corner, preventing possible runaways or accidents. 

It is also good to be properly prepared when out and about with your dogs, keeping your mobile phone handy and fully charged is probably the easiest method of problem prevention these days. A phone can easily get you back to safety if lost, be instant access to help if a problem does occur and, in most cases, can be used as a handy torch too. If your phone does not have a light we would always recommend going out with a torch or similar. 

When walking at night with your furriest friends, it is essential to take a lead with you, even if you think your dog is the best-behaved dog in the world! Dogs are animals and you never know what is around the corner at night or what might cause them to get lost, confused or frightened. The best leads, collars and harnesses are those that are made with reflective materials. This allows for an extra layer of protection, keeping your dog clearly visible when traffic is close by. Below we have highlighted a few of our favourite nighttime-appropriate leads, collars and harnesses, so you and your dogs can be safe all winter long.

Keeping Your Dog Visible with Hurtta

With its origins based in the wild north of Finland, there is perhaps no one we would trust more to design safe, winter-appropriate gear than the brilliant brains at Hurtta. With over 20 years of experience in making hard-wearing, functional and secure apparel for dogs, alongside designs that are made to last in the harsh conditions of Scandinavia, we don't recommend many more companies as highly as we do Hurtta.

And what could be better than a range made with such expertise? One that is eco-friendly too! The new Hurtta Weekend Warrior ECO range is designed for daily walks in all weather with years of testing proving its durability and quality. All products from this range also have 3M reflectors sewn in, improving visibility at night and keeping your canine companions as safe as can be, whatever the light level. The lead, and the surface materials of the collar and harness, from this radiant range, are made from 100% recycled materials, making them a good way to reduce that carbon pawprint, as well as keeping your dogs as safe as can be. 

This resplendent range is designed to be used every day, keeping you and your dogs safe during their wondrous walks and other arduous activities.

So, with Autumn just around the corner and the hours of daylight quickly diminishing, don't forget to get yourself and your dog properly prepared for some wondrous walks in the dark and keep the exercise flowing whatever time of year it happens to be.