Be Seen! It's Dark and Your Dog Still Needs a Walk.

This is the most difficult time for walking dogs. By the sun starts to shine in the morning, you're on your way to work. In the evening when you return home, it's already dark.

There are days when I get home later than planned, and it's just too dark and cold to go for a walk.  Then I think about what the dogs need.  Earlier in the morning they walked me to work and Gregory walked them home. For the next six to eight hours, Flynn and Frank are sequestered to the kitchen
while Duncan is given a respite from the others sleeping in his kennel, atop a heating pad.  (When we return home, Duncan is reluctant to leave his personal spa, and only does so when we mention that dinner is served.)

Most of the day the dogs are waiting for us  to return, anxious to experience the neighborhood and feel the fresh air whirl around them.  Fall evenings seem to ramp up their excitement because musty smells abound and the tracks of squirrels criss-cross our path. I know that I owe it to my boys to take them for a walk despite the hour or the lack of visibility.

Before I leash up the dogs, I search my wardrobe for a jacket. I'm looking for  color and brightness; the lighter the color the better. I also dress for warmth, using an underlayer. Dressing requires a planning for the event; I want to be seen, so darker underlayers are definitely less important than what people see.  Think about your neighborhood; how far do you walk between streetlights and how well are you seen?  More importantly, at intersections how well are you lit up.  The weather comes and goes, but in the rain will a driver's vision be obscured? When you are driving around, how well do you see other pedestrians?  When they are wearing dark clothing, it's pretty difficult. It's time to ante up and make sure that both you and your dog can be seen. Walks are essential no matter the season or weather, here are some of my favorite ideas to keep you both safe.

Headlamps: Okay, I'm a little vain. When I run into neighbors, I don't want to be the dork with a headlamp on my forehead. Instead, I strap a headlamp to my bicep and position it so that I can direct it around and see the "items" that I need to pick up. Here's a number of alternatives from amazon.com.


There are also some great alternatives that send a flashing light to signal to both other dog walkers and car drivers that say "Hey, watch out! I'm walking here."

At the minimum consider a reflective leash. (Quite honestly, I'd rather have you wearing a visible light.)

No matter how dark it is, your dog needs a walk.  When you're out and about, please be safe and visible.

Just so you know: I provide the amazon.com links above so you can search out quality products for yourself. I haven't tested all the products provided in the search results, but want you to find the product that works best for you and keeps you safe. No advertising or link fees are received, they are simply suggestions. If you find something you love, let me know.

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