Gadgets to Keep Your After-Dark Walk Safe

When walking at night, not only do you need to be seen, but your dog, who might break free and dart across the street, needs to be illuminated as well. Fortunately, a wide variety of gadgets that include headlamps, blinkers, illuminated leashes and collars, and some reflective clothing can do much to ensure your and your pet's safety.

When walking at night, not only do you need to be seen, but your dog, who might break free and dart across the street, needs to be illuminated as well. Fortunately, a wide variety of gadgets that include headlamps, blinkers, illuminated leashes and collars, and some reflective clothing can do much to ensure your and your pet's safety.

Headlamps for you, collar lamp for your dog. Headlamps light you and your path, for cars and bicyclists, leaving your hands free for the leash and scooping poop.

• For you, look at the Black Diamond Headlamps or Petzel headlamps, especially the Myolite. These headlamps, used by mushers, night runners and climbers, have a long range and will withstand any kind of weather.
• To protect your dog, try PupLight, a small LED flashlight fixed to your dog's neck that illuminates 200 feet forward and 70 feet to either side.

Reflective Vests, Armbands and Hats:

• For you, try a reflective armband with LED lights that flash or glow red, your choice, for 100,000 hours. Adjustable with a quick-release buckle, see them at brookstone.com. Try an LED cyclist vest by Nathan. For a hat with a built-in ultra-bright, ultra-light headlamp, try the G2 LED™.
• Glowdog has "IllumiNite" jackets, also at night-gear.com. In hot weather, try a Boett Reflective Harness.

Blinking lights for your dog or yourself

• Planet Bike Blinky Safety Set of mini LED safety lights are small but very impressive with a switch for flashing or steady illumination.
• The Beacon™ emits light in four directions--forward left, forward right, backward, and straight up. Dog-ready design is sturdy, compact, watertight, lightweight and easy to use. Clip The Beacon™ onto your pet's collar or onto your clothing and the flashing light will be noticed for up to one-half mile away.

Collars, leashes and light sticks

• NiteIze flashing lighted dog collars and leashes light up pets and come in many colors. Other leashes and collars available in a line by Visiglo® gets pets glowing with flashing light.
• Light sticks, also known as glow sticks, are handy to keep in the dog bag for emergencies, are available at your local outdoor stores.

A toy, a convenience, the ultimate gadget

• For those of us who go to the dog park at night, finding the toy is the problem. The LED Flying "Dog Discuit" solves that problem and can be found by you and your dog at night. The soft-touch plastic is noted to be durable and have long-life replaceable batteries under a dog-safe battery cover.
• A keychain garage door opener allows the garage to function as an "airlock" against winter wet and cold, and as a safety zone that ensures the dog does not get out into the street during the cleanup. Try the Genie 3-Button Mini Remote with Intellicode.
• Developed especially for the squeamish or the health concerned, the "Sanitation Safety Stick," a lighted pooper-scooper, is designed for use while walking your dog at night. The S3 (doesn't this sound like the ultimate gadget?) has a built-in handle, storage, scoops, hands free clip and replaceable flashlight.

Use of any of items mentioned above will allow me to see you!

Share your stories

If you have a story about night walking, I would love to hear from you. Send a message to stories@petside.com.

Author Carol Frischmann lights up after dark walks with nightglow vests, flashing collar, and a headlamp. You can learn more about Carol and her pets at www.thiswildlife.com. Her birds will send you the night-glow Doberman pinscher as a reward for visiting.