Dog's personal light?

[riceboy72]

Okay, so now my girlfriend thinks I've really gone over the edge. Today, while we were at REI, I bought my dog an LED carabiner style light to clip to her collar when we're out on our night walks. She thinks it's bad enough that I look at lights everywhere we go, but when I told her I was getting one for the dog, well ...

You get the picture.

I considered the light up collars, but they only glow and don't emit any usable light. I wound up getting a Nite Ize Flashflight Spotlight LED, with a stainless steel clasp that I attached to my dog's metal ring on her collar. It has two modes: on, and flashing strobe, and to be honest, it's not a bad little light for $8.00. It has low output and it actually doesn't do a bad job of illuminating the ground around her, but I wanted her to be seen at night and for me to see her when she runs off ahead. Dog owners, you feel my pain.
​

I told her I wanted Roxy to be able to see where she was going (insert round two of the laughter). Anyone else have a light for their dog, or do I need to go see someone this week for counseling? This is the first time I've even considered something like this for the dog, and sure, it's novelty, but it's a sure sign of a flashaholic. Oh dear. :shakehead

Some pics and a quick video:

The light, attached to her collar:

The light when it's on:

In the living room at 6:15 pm:

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg300/riceboy72/?action=view&current=MOV00737.flv

 

[prof]

I think that dog's eyes are more sensitive than ours...so maybe a therapist is not such a bad idea.

However, you need to buy something for the lady. Something nice. Something SHE likes. Do it NOW, while you still can!

 

[BabyDoc]

It's not a bad idea. Even if Roxy doesn't need to use it to see at night, it may enable drivers to see Roxy more easily if she run's off into a street without street lights. It could save her life.

 

[riceboy72]

Oh, I know she can see in the dark and navigates well with no lighting, so Roxy certainly doesn't need a light. But I saw it and couldn't resist. I think of the times when a car's come down the street and even though she's light colored, she's not easily seen. Plus, she's old and her reaction time's not the greatest anymore.

And prof, you are a wise, wise man. I have done as you've recommended and am taking her and her daughter to Seaside, Oregon, for two days of fun and I'm footing the shopping bill, too.

(Plus it's flashlight time on the beach for me...)

 

[Paladin]

We fitted a River Rock headlamp around my cattle dog's neck, and it was pretty entertaining watching her careen around the back yard "lighting her own way".

Paladin

 

[GPB]

You may want to switch to a reflective collar. Cars will light it up and I am sure, being the good CPF'er that you are, always have a light with you to light up her collar. The light may mess up her night vision and cause her problems while she's navigating around the neighborhood.

 

[hyperloop]

you might want to check out www.extremeglow.com for some of their products, may not be all too practical but they look fun, especially some of the LED flashing necklaces, dont think there would be any problem with spotting your dog with one of those.

 

[Flashlight Aficionado]

The light may mess up her night vision and cause her problems while she's navigating around the neighborhood.

She doesn't need nightvision. She has a flashaholic as a master. She will never be in the dark.

I am going to buy the Nite Ize for my pooch. She has a body harness that I can attach it to her back.

 

[276]

i think thats the las thing my dog would need . I have a black lab and he loves to eat everything on the ground, i think he likes that when i use my light he can see if there is anything around to eat. But i do have a nit ize dog collar it works.

 

[manoloco]

i had a dog that had the same look as yours, she stuck to me a lot, and was the most well behaved and obedient dog i have ever seen, even when she did something wrong and didnt knew it was wrong she felt bad about it the very moment i said "no"; her usual reaction on those cases was to seat, turned her head and looked at me with the corner of her eye with shame; hell, she was wrong and she made me feel bad about telling her mistakes .

damn i miss that dog.

 

[dudemar]

However, you need to buy something for the lady. Something nice. Something SHE likes. Do it NOW, while you still can!

Yes, as fast as you can!!!

 

[DM51]

Dog-collar threads are interesting and good fun.

Another member, twosouls2gether, built his own lighting dog-collar for his father-in-law's accident-prone dog.

 

[Sgt. LED]

I though this was a thread asking about what light that stupid bounty hunter guy uses!

 

[manoloco]

i had a dog that had the same look as yours, she stuck to me a lot, and was the most well behaved and obedient dog i have ever seen, even when she did something wrong and didnt knew it was wrong she felt bad about it the very moment i said "no"; her usual reaction on those cases was to seat, turned her head and looked at me with the corner of her eye with shame; hell, she was wrong and she made me feel bad about telling her mistakes .

damn i miss that dog.

 

[Tomcat!]

Surely your dog needs a Rex Light!

Did you even ask what kind of UI she likes? :nana:

 

[Phaserburn]

Jake is a black lab and is always adorned with this for our evening 1 mile walks:

http://www.essentialgear.com/store/p/35-Keychain-Lantern.html

There are no streetlights in my neighborhood, and heavy tree cover to boot - quality darkness!

This mini lantern is almost weightless, uses 2 x 2032 cells (instead of 2016s - far better runtime), and a Nichia (specified) led. We get around a month or more per battery change (around half hour per night). I keep it set to constant on instead of blink - I figure if the blink annoys me, than it will annoy him, too). Makes a nice visible area around him when he looks down, but because it's on his neck and the top of the lantern is solid, it can never shine in his eyes. When it's time to go for the walk, Jake goes directly to his light on the window sill to get ready. A Flashadogaholic!

I also have a reflective leash for car headlights. In the very unlikely but possible event that Jake gets away from me (like if he bolts after an animal), spotting a black dog running in pitch dark woods would be quite difficult...

Just recently, I saw this exact light at Target for around $5, albeit in black instead of silver. I get my 2032s from DX/KD for super cheap.

 

[prof]

And prof, you are a wise, wise man. I have done as you've recommended and am taking her and her daughter to Seaside, Oregon, for two days of fun and I'm footing the shopping bill, too.

(Plus it's flashlight time on the beach for me...)

Thank you, but trust me--I learned the hard way. Glad you're doing something good for her. My wife and I just celebrated our 13th anniversary--still going strong!

 

[riceboy72]

I took her for her nightly walk last night and it was darker than it's been in a long time thanks to clouds that rolled in through the day. The light worked well. It gave off a nice smooth veil of light that lit up the immediate ground under her head. The slight weight of the light seemed to keep the collar ring forward and it stayed under her snout the whole time. I tried the blink function but that lasted all of 30 seconds before I called her back to me and turned it back to the light only function.

I will be going back to REI and getting her the collar, too. She listens very well and never gets more than 15 feet away from me unless I stop and let her wander off to sniff something, but I want her to be seen since we have no lights on our street and it can ugly dark in winter, especially when it's raining, too. Of course, I carry no more than three lights on me when we go walking, so spotting everything around her is the fun and easy part.

Thank you for your replies and suggestions!

 

[Mdinana]

My dog is an energetic 2 year old that listens about as well as a human 2 year old. She too has a collar light. My parent's dog has a reflective collar, but to be honest, I doubt it works. I never see it...

So Sierra (my dog) used a glo-toob for a while, but it was too heavy and the batteries went dead too often. I think the idea of a light for SEEING HER is definetely a good idea. To light her way, not as important, for the above stated reasons. If no other reason, they're less likely to fall due to 4 legs.

I know my dog could have used one a year ago, as she went running straight at a car on the street... hit it, thankfully instead of it hitting her.

 

[mwaldron]

I was at Sportsman's Warehouse a week or two ago and got one of these for my Boxer. It hung down a bit far and she could see it, she kept batting at it and then trying to chase it... Needless to say I can't use it. I love Boxer's but they're not always the smartest tools in the shed...

Anyway when I was looking for that link I see they have one specifically for dogs, Nite Dawg L.E.D. Collar, I may have to order her one of those!

All this time I thought I was alone...