Dog Safety at Night - Clip on Dog Collar Lights

With the long, dark nights of winter upon us, we still need our exercise so we go on walks and off-leash adventures in dark.  This presented a problem because silly Vicki didn't like not being able to see us when we run around our local unofficial off-leash area.  We don't know why she should be concerned when we occasionally take off into the darkness chasing a deer, coyote, cat or raccoon.  After all we always come back - eventually.  So she found these dog collar lights so she could see where we are.

So now on our adventures in the dark, we are sporting Nite Ize Spotlit clip-on lights on our collars.  We each have one in a different color so she can tell which one of us is where by the color of the light on our collar.  We look rather festive for the holidays in our red and green lights!  When we are walking on-leash around the dark, curvy roads in our neighborhood, it makes us more visible to vehicles, too.  They are available in several colors and here is what they look like close-up:

Fireworks and Thundershirts

While many people eagerly look forward to the 4th of July Holiday, there are many pet owners who dread the seemingly endless explosions of fireworks we hear in our neighborhoods.  Many dogs including our border collie Tim, are terrified of the noise and it makes life pretty miserable.  He cowers and runs to hide in the bathroom in the basement and freaks out when we go on a walk.  Fortunately Tim runs toward us and not away, but many frightened dogs run away and are lost around the 4th of July every year.

If you have a dog who is fearful of fireworks and other loud noises, a product that I have heard good reviews about is Thundershirt and I think we'll get one and give it a try.  Please feel free to comment if you have experience with using a Thundershirt for your dog.



Thundershirt Medium An excellent treatment for most types of dog anxiety and fear issues. Creates a gentle, constant pressure that has a dramatic calming effect.

If your dog is afraid of the sounds of explosions on the fourth of July, it is best to keep your dog inside and if you will be leaving him or her alone, make sure they are in a secure place - even crated if necessary. And as added protection, make sure your dog has a collar with ID in case somehow he or she ends up on the loose.