Canine dark adapted vision and bright light

[gisbourne]

I do not want this thread to degrade into any discusion involving animal cruelty. I am merely stating that I noticed (and I have since confirmed this
in the literature that the canine dark adapted eye is several times more
sensitive than mans) how approaching dogs do not like bright light. Whether it will keep at bay a dog which is determined on biting I don't know. But I can tell you this, they don't like it because it recks their vision for a short time.
Dogs retinas are mostly rods, they have negligible colour vision and their visual acuity is very poor compared to mans.

 

[Solscud007]

But I dont think dogs depend solely on their sight to find their target. the use their nose too. So I doubt a bright light could deter a guard dog at night.

 

[Hlorrithi]

My German Shepherd is completely unperturbed by it, when hes was younger he would stalk and take down our kids, he thought he was playing but we had to get it in check before he got bigger.
We got help from a retired police dog handler friend, who first tried aversion with loud noise when he did it, which only worked the first few times 'till the dog figured out the noise was alarming but didn't stop him.
He then tried getting the kids to quickly flash him with his surefire e2d.... didn't work in daylight or darkness, dog just tried to get the light.

We got around it with a huge effort of making the kids higher in the pack than him, i.e. they went through doors first, they fed him and he had to sit/stay for it, they would (under supervision) wake him and take his place in his bed.
After a while he started to respect them and hasn't done it since in 2 years...... but a would be burglar may find him a challenge....with any luck at least.

 

[Guy's Dropper]

A bright light will keep a wild animal like a coyote at bay, but I don't know about wolves and bears. It might annoy them or slow them down, but it probably will not stop them. It also depends on how bright your light is. If you shine an HID into the dark-adapted eyes of a wolf, you could probably send him running, but I cannot imagine a C2 doing much.

 

[f22shift]

would animals avoid a person walking with a flashlight?
if i remember correctly making a campfire keeps nocturnal animals away but i'm not sure if it's the same.

 

[TITAN1833]

would animals avoid a person walking with a flashlight?
if i remember correctly making a campfire keeps nocturnal animals away but i'm not sure if it's the same.

most animals have a inherent fear of fire ,but not of light itself,for instance a wolf may be held at bay with fire,but a flashlight I doubt would bother it to much IMO,
that said dogs can learn that fire is not a danger to them,so don't go practicing out my theory on some angry wolf or pitbull.

 

[kelmo]

Here is what happened to my wife and I. We walk at night and have some nice open spaces that are part of our route. One evening an overly affectionate labradour (sp?) started running at my wife. I did not know at the time the dog was friendly and I stepped between it and my wife. I had with me a turboheaded 9P with a MN16 LA (or was it a MN15?) and I illuminated the frisky canine as he closed on me. It didn't phase him one bit. In fact the 1st thing he did was lick my flashlight before he proceeded to cover me with dog slobber and mud. Just my luck, a jumper and a licker.

The only thing you can count on a flashlight doing is letting you know what kind and how close the dog is.

 

[purplemoon]

What about dog's collar with a blinking light hanging on it, would it disorientate or cause discomfort to the walking dog?

For this I have my blinking light mounted on the back of the harness on top of the dog, this gives far more visibility than one hanging on it's neck.

Imagine taking a walk with a flashing light under your nose.

 

[purplemoon]

I had shone my dbs onto strays and they froze, letting me and my dog (small dog) get away.

 

[Mr Happy]

What about dog's collar with a blinking light hanging on it, would it disorientate or cause discomfort to the walking dog?

For this I have my blinking light mounted on the back of the harness on top of the dog, this gives far more visibility than one hanging on it's neck.

Imagine taking a walk with a flashing light under your nose.

Ask yourself, would it disorientate you if you were wearing a blinking light on your collar?

It's best not to get into the idea that dogs are somehow unthinking or stupid. Remember that dogs and other domestic animals are only slightly removed from creatures that can live by their wits in the inhospitable wilderness. You don't get to do that by being dumb. Are you smart enough to survive if you were stranded in the wilderness with only your wits to help you?

 

[D-Dog]

Are you smart enough to survive if you were stranded in the wilderness with only your wits to help you?

If I was allowed to bring 3 lights and CR123's fell from the sky :nana:

Anyhow, short story illustrating a point:

Last night I walking across campus at about 11pm. I of course chose the darker path:candle: because... well I like flashlights Anyhow, I usually see small animals such as rabbits and squirrels, however, last light I saw something larger moving to my left. I shined my M20 on the unidentified object and hit a tabby cat with 250 lumens right in the face from about 20 yards . She quickly turned away and ran behind a tree where she "hid" until I was past. I felt bad I had the light on high, however, the light definitely had an impact on her . She is a stray whom I later learned sleeps under one of the academic buildings at night.

However, if this was a dog or even a domesticated animal more used to people/lights, she probably wouldn't have been as affected

 

[gisbourne]

Thanks for the many intelligently thought out replies to my post. What is interesting is the comment/analogy with fires and wild animals.

 

[dudemar]

I don't think it affects them very much. I lit up my 1200 lumen Xenide at a pair of dogs across the street and they just kept barking. Seemed to make them angrier.:shrug:

 

[Sgt. LED]

Have not ever personally seen a light deter a dog from doing anything.

I am sure if it is a Mag623 we are talking about, it's heat up real close might back one off a little but small edc lights probably won't have an effect.

 

[NeonLights]

If I shine my Dorcy 2 million candlepower spotlight in my Saint Bernards eyes when she is coming at me, she just lowers her head a bit and looks slightly away and keeps on coming. Only way I'd consider using a light as a defense from a dog is if it was a 4D or 6D Maglight.

 

[Icebreak]

I think there are too many variables to accurately predict a reaction. It could depend on breed temperament, personality, state of mind, intent...several things.

When faced with a bright light I've seen dogs freeze, continue, bark, growl, wag their tail, leave pmail...you just don't know.

 

[D-Dog]

I bet a Tigerlight would stop them...get it "tiger" light... or maybe a tiger with a light... or umm.... ok I'm done

 

[rockz4532]

I bet a Tigerlight would stop them...get it "tiger" light... or maybe a tiger with a light... or umm.... ok I'm done

uh um ... HAHAHAHAH:laughing: just kidding
i bet the pepperspray would do nice though

 

[AA6TZ]

This particular light very well may serve to keep a dog (any dog) at arm's length, whereas the likelihood of getting bitten rises exponentially should one deploy models similar to this one.

-Clive

 

[FlashCrazy]

uh um ... HAHAHAHAH:laughing: just kidding
i bet the pepperspray would do nice though

My dogs don't care in the least about bright lights... they don't even blink. Not that I shine them in the eyes all the time, but they've been accidentally lit up quite a few times.
I can attest that pepper spray works, though. I had a stand-off with an angry Chow before. He lunged at me a few times trying to bite me... a short blast of pepper spray worked amazingly well. It was either that or