Walking dogs iin the dark

S

Sandstone1

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 July 2010
Messages
8,936
Visit site
What do you do about exercising dogs in the winter, with work and horses etc its often dark when i walk mine and its hard to know how to give them enough exercise ie offlead walks when its dark. Dont mind the dark but want to be safe. Any ideas??
I live in a village and can do on lead walks round the village but worry a bit about walking in fields etc when its dark.
 
Luckily I have a 3 acre field right behind my house, so I put a flashing collar on my dog and throw a glow in the dark ball. jobs a good en
 
We have fields now but in home counties at last place I never had a problem taking my Doberman for a walk in the dark...:-DD Pass group of ver lads on motorbikes in bridge underpass (run a mile normally) and the only bother you get is a comment of 'Nice dog that' :-)))) I would add to the effect by dressing him up in a studded leather collar. In fact he would be more likely to lick them to death.....:-))

I used a head torch as we also went across fields and Dobie had a little light on his collar just so I could see if he was sniffing at something as I strode along.
 
I don't worry about anything much with the dogs-they would have my back if we came across a wrong'un. Them flashing lights are great too. Never knew about glow in dark ballies will have to invest
 
I walk mine up at our yard as quite likely to come across other dog walkers if I walk in my village and as I have 3 I would rather know where a strange dog is. Also had a couple of bad scares ( and scared the other person) with someone appearing out of the dark!! It may be pitch black in our fields but I know no one else is around.
 
Due to husband's change in work hours and my broken knee our GSD only gets exercised in the dark in the week.

Haven't got around to a buying a flashing collar but husband and dog have a head torch each. Dog wears his around his neck with the red light on. Works a treat.
 
Miss Longdog has a hi-viz coat and a flashing collar. I have a hi viz jacket, whistle and hefty torch! No missing us! I walk the Downs in the morning and our fields at night. Felt a lot safer when I had the silent GSD who had a good line in non-verbal menace:heavy direct, unblinking staring was her weapon of choice, together with perfect stillness and a straight out still tail!

Just love the ghostly cat in the youtube clip!
 
Last edited:
Walk them in the dark with OH's lamp and light up collars on. Did have the flashing tags but they kept loosing them! Or if I forget the lamp I use the torch on my iPhone :)
 
We mostly walk in the evenings as the dogs round here aren't very friendly so we tend to pick times when the "nice" dog walkers are out, but usually we go at night. The park we walk him in is known for being a bit rough so we take a torch but rarely use it. We also don't use a light on the dog. We do take a laser pen because we know it gets his attention 100% and is visible in the dark. He chases it like a ball and it gives him a good run and is also a useful tool.
 
I used to walk in the dark, flashing tabard, hi viz vest, gloves, hat, coats for the dog, head torch and spare torch in case head torch calved.
I walk GSDs so no security worries. I did come across the mountain rescue team on a training exercise one night and got a lot of wise cracks about being Santa with two reindeers!!!
 
One of mine is a gsd so im not worried about walking in the dark, its more being able to see the dogs when they are off lead and seeing other people and dogs coimg towards me. I have ordered some lights for their collars and looking for a good torch.
 
I drove home from the yard in the dark the other day and have to drive down 1.5 miles of track/footpath. Past about 10 walkers and only one had high viz on himself and dog. Couldn't see the others at all. :mad:
 
I have a reflective coat and collar on my lurcher and carry a lamp, I can light her up at 500 yards so know where she is


daisyglowing.jpg
 
Our morning walk is always in the dark, 6amish, and OH and I go together, we both wear head torches and the 3 dogs each have a different colour flashing collar. Coco has a girly pink one, Alfs is bright white and Smurph wears blue. We walk on a public footpath which follows the river between our village and the next, I wouldnt do it on my own as it is quite twisty and you cant see who might be lurking round the next bend!
 
Cheers for nice comments regarding my norty lil cat, anywhere she thinks there is sossages she'll go lol although it was the first time she followed me out there on a night and I did jump out of my skin hehe

I finally got round to taking a photo of my dog in her night time road wear, its not often we go on the roads/pavements due her still being young and watching her joints etc but I did buy her a hi vis orange harness and lead for coming home from training class

picture.php
 
I wear my old work jacket - huge hi-vis thing (highways legal) and the dog has a red flashing collar like the one in the vid above. Thankfully the road is quiet, and all the locals know I'm going to be there now! I would like a hi vis coat for the rainy mornings soon :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top