How do you manage in the dark?

lexiedhb

lexiedhb

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 January 2007
Messages
13,957
Location
Surrey
Visit site
Ok so I assume that folk still have to walk their dogs at certain times, like me, but tonight it was blacker than your hat over the field. Dex is lit up like a christmas tree but Im not sure I would fancy it on my own- grrrrrrr hooning place gone- return of monster Dex possibly. So how do you manage?
 
Mine both have flashing collars and I have a torch - I am lucky in as much I live on a farm so have never worried about being out on the fields.:) When I lived in central Birmingham I used to have walk Sweep and my previous dog in the local park - I lived 3 miles out of the city centre in not the best part of town, it was about a mile from the guys got killed in the riots just to give you some idea:rolleyes: and there were 2 big housing estates that were police no go areas:rolleyes: - They got walked fiorst thing in the morning when the park was full of regular doggy walkers and then again when I got on from work - back then I didn't take a torch and didn't have a mobile phone - there were more scumbags around in the evening but the old thing of working with purpose works a treat and you have mad ginger gobshite to keep you safe!!:eek:::D:D:D

More seriously get yourself a nice big heavy Maglite torch :D:D:D worth every penny and they hurt if you get hit accidently with them;):D
 
So it is just a case of illuminate and carry on? got a head torch, and a maglite (did not think of its dual purpose!!!).... okedokey

Also anyone elses dog more mental/runny abouty in the dark? First time tonight it took a good 5 mins for him to actually come to me without shooting past onto something way more exciting.
 
Just make sure you have some Hi-viz or soemthing on so you know he can see you:D Make sure you give him treats again for a bit - I think it probably seems worse in the dark as you nervous about it:o I am sure you will settle down and feel more comfortable:)

Dual purpose Maglit?:confused: don't know what you mean......;):D:D
 
When you see in the news- man found clubbed to death by Maglite, looking for dog lit up like a christmas tree, and woman wearing headtorch you'll know!! :)
 
Been out this evening with mine, me in full reflectives, 2 dogs in refelectives and the other 2 in flashy things! I always carry my big maglite as well ;) I dont worry when I have Tilly with me, I have to admit though, even around here (maybe more so as nobody is around) I wouldnt walk without Tilly at night. I'm lucky I can usually walk before dark but had to wait in for tesco shop delivery this afternoon and there are occasions when I have been busy all day and have to go out in the dark this time of year. I actually really like it, especially on very very cold dark nights, very peaceful and quiet.
 
Hi-viz, torch, mobile phone and 2 enormous Great Danes :) and always let someone know when I am going out and when to expect me back again too.
 
Head torch, spare LED torch, hi viz vest, flashing vest, reflective dog coat, reflective collar.
Now I have a better car I also drive to the nearest village for a walk along the seafront.
Oh and waterproofs. It isn't something I enjoy but needs must!!!!
 
WOW- I definitely could not have seen Dex last night if he was not doing a great impression of an xmas tree! Know what you mean about seeing in the dark though- could see further with my torch off, but not sure Ginge could see me!!
 
I think it just depends on where you walk as to how vulnerable you feel, I walk 2 different wooded areas, one I wouldn't walk on my own even in daylight (no idea why, just not comfortable walking it on my own), the other I would walk on my own with the dogs even in the dark.
All the dogs I walk wear flashing collars and I have a head light so they can see me.
One of the benefits is that none of them are my dogs, so I can decide to hibernate for the winter and only walk at weekends in the couple of hours of daylight that we have!!!!
 
Mine have flashing lights on their collars, again off lead in the dog.

Its funny as just by the style of the run I know who it is. Dylan bounds about so you see this light going up and down all over the place. Teal tends to trot every where and is never far from me. I have learnt Buster doesnt go too far either but, I havent let him off the long line in the dark yet. In daylight he potters in front i have a bad feeling I might fall over him in the dark as hes just uner my feet.
 
One night I was down the fields with no light, I also find your eyes get used to the dark after a few minutes, I know the fields well and so am not likely to walk into anything dangerous (pond, quarry or big hole etc. ). Anyway I walked up to the gate where the cows and bull were and frightened the life out of 2 lads who were lamping rabbits and hadn't seen me coming in the dark, the expressions on their faces when I told them that the thing beside them was a bull was priceless :D and the speed they showed over the gate impressive:eek:. They thought all bulls had horns!:confused: I dont think they came our way again. I know its a bit off topic but it still makes me laugh.:D
 
Ostrich said:
I never take a torch, I find that you can see better in the dark without one as it is never really totally dark? Once your eyes adjust you can see perfectly well (unless I have very good night time vision I suppose :p)

I am lucky that I have access to a lot of off-road walking, so I just take my lot around the fields as usual :) It was fun tonight, the only bit of Amy I could see was the white tip to her tail :D Islay stays close to me most of the time anyway, and Flick stayed closer than usual tonight (she isn't very confident and I think she was frightened of the dark)

When I lived on a different farm a couple of years ago I used to take the dogs out around the local network of footpaths and bridleways in the dark without a problem too.....maybe I lack imagination, it has never bothered me :)
Click to expand...

Same here, Ostrich - I have masses of off-road walking, across fields and downs and I find it far easier to manage without a torch. I have to go out about 6. - 6.30 each morning so it's pretty much pitch black for a couple of months each year but I find I get used to it.
 
bloomin hate the winter and all this dark :mad:

seems worse now the clocks have gone back and its dark by 5.30.
i would walk through the fields in the dark, like TBB i know my fields well but when people see me emerging they seem to think im mad and really brave 'you wouldnt catch me out in those fields after dark' kindof comments so it is starting to get me thinking if im being too cavalier with my own safety?

my dog's a border collie so not quite sure she'd be enough to scare anyone off if i happened to come across a psycho rapist on my way..

hummm. food for thought i guess.

annoying though as i do have one of those mutts that need a good run twice a day
(unlike her poor human mum who'd be happier on the sofa with a cup of tea infront of a warm fire thankyou veh much!@)
 
As in turns out walking in the dark is frigging marvellous! Went to a really nice place to walk tonight, that we usually can not go to to many dogs for mind blowing, but in the dark he cant see them hurrah hurrah! Obs he cant be off lead there as a) its new b) he'd follow other dogs scent c) Im so not brave enough, but we had a lovely hour mooching about!!

Really surprised at the amount of folk with no lights/reflectives on either themselves or their dogs though- and the delightful chap walking a gorgeous Staff, swigging a can of beer.........
 
I go before it gets dark for the field run and we walk round the road at night and through the industrial est (well lit) infact last night I had 2 dogs over to train (reactive when on lead/pull like train types) and me and them and their owners hit the industrail est with my mutts too and did a few hours worth of training in the dark but in the light:D
 
2 or 3 days a month, the OH works the same hours as me and when he gets home, he retrieves the dogs from the next door neighbour and takes them to the woods (I reckon almost 300 acres). Tonight, I got a text 'Bear has been missing for 25 minutes'. :eek: I left the yard and drove up to the woods to help, OH being due at the doctor. I was ok about him leaving but thank God he didn't have to cos it was terrifying, pitch black, silent, middle of nowhere. :eek::eek::eek:

After ten minutes of coo-ing and trilling, Bear ran up to me. He was lost for over three hours last week! Think he should go back on a long line for a while!
 
I did all our tracking training in the dark this time last year, well, anywhere where there was grass and streetlights :p was a bugger when he got that habit of walking over articles, I was groping around in the dark looking for bits of wood and carpet....

I don't do offlead in the dark, especially not with the pup, too risky.
 
lexiedhb said:
So you met Dex's family (reactive when on lead/pull like train types) then :)
Click to expand...

Well if dex is now very hairy and stands the height of a standard poodle and you are well built with stubble and the pair of you where chucked out of your training class because their methods where not working on your dog:rolleyes:, then yeah;) "sorry to be rude I should have asked you name":p:D and I apologise for my bad language when describing certain "things":o:p

:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top