Illuminating Your Dog for Better Nighttime Walking, Playing

Bright lights make after-dark jaunts and games safer and more fun.

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If late-night and perhaps pre-dawn walks with your dog are part of your routine, you might consider using LED collars, leashes, and toys to brighten things up. Colorfully lit dog-walking gear will make you and your pet more visible to passing motorists and to each other. At the same time, they’ll help illuminate your path as well as make waste clean-up easier in the dark.

LED toys can further add to the nighttime fun right in the backyard, allowing you and your dog to play Fetch late into the evening. Better still, many of these items are USB-chargeable. You can plug them into your laptop or phone for as little as an hour to gain hours of light.

There are lots of light-up accouterments available for your pet; we’ve chosen from among the best. Most come with several lighting modes, from steady to blinking to pulsating. But note that repetitive flashing can prove disorienting, even sickening, and has been linked to seizures and blackouts in both people and dogs. Think carefully before going from steady to flickering light. Passing motorists may be negatively affected by fast-blinking lights, too.

© Pumila

Collar

Pumila LED Dog Collar is 100 percent waterproof — you’re good to go in rain or snow. And it comes in a variety of sizes and colors, ranging from pink to red to blue or green. Two hours of charging will give the collar 16 hours of life on the non-pulsating setting. Comes with a lifetime guarantee in extra small (9 to 13.7 inches) to extra large (21.6 to 27.5 inches), all at $17.99. Available on amazon.com.

© Noxgear

Harness

Noxgear LightHound Revolutionary Illuminated and Reflective Harness for Dogs provides a lightweight, rainproof alternative to harnesses that become soaked in wet weather. And the LED-lit harness stays charged for more than 12 hours. A slow fade from color to color keeps your dog visible from up to a half mile away, making the device useful not only when you let him loose in the backyard for a late-night piddle but also when you’re letting him walk off leash. This Amazon Choice product, noted for positive reviews, adjusts to fit over your dog’s usual harness or collar if you wish and has its own leash attachment. Bonus: It can be cleaned in the washing machine and, thanks to its 3M reflective bias tape, will still maintain visibility if something goes wrong. Comes in small to extra-large for $54.95 to $59.95. Available on amazon.com, chewy.com, and noxgear.com.

Leash

Illumiseen LED USB Rechargeable Leash works with any collar and comes in 4-foot and 6-foot lengths to suit dogs small and large. It also comes in six colors, including ruby red, cotton candy pink, and neon green. You and your dog are set whether in dim light, full darkness, or rainy or snowy weather—the waterproof leash is compromised only if fully submerged in water. Available for $24.99 on chewy.com and amazon.com.

Fetching Fun

Gnawsome Spiky Squeak & Light Ball Dog Toy makes it easy for your dog to see what he is supposed to fetch. (We recommend the blue or yellowish options — dogs see those two colors best.) The ball lights up on impact and “squeals” when retrieved, and the toy’s nubby surface makes gripping it easier. It even satisfies a dog’s urge to chew, and the spiky nubs provide a nice gum massage. The BPA- and TPR-free ball comes in small (2.5-inch diameter), medium (3.5 inches) and extra-large (4.5 inches) for $2.79 to $5.99 on amazon.com, chewy.com, walmart.com, and others.

In a Pinch

PGXT Safety LED Lights for Dog Collar transforms your dog’s usual collar or leash with a single beam of light you can use even in inclement weather. The Amazon Choice product is useful to keep in your pocket for those days when you’ve stayed out walking later than intended and want to insure that your dog and you are visible to motorists and others. Each pack contains five waterproof carabiner clips in five colors, including blue, orange, and purple. Comes with 12 3-volt batteries to power the clips for more than 100 hours. Available for $9.59 on amazon.com.

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