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Walking dog in the dark - what’s your winter solution ?

28 replies

InaPuddle · 06/12/2025 16:23

Hi

Im female mid fifties.

Aging dog who is prone to puddles at night and waking household up (already on bladder meds) if not walked for 20 minutes about 8.30-9.30 pm (this pattern is an effective solution worked out throughout summer light evenings). NB Also walked earlier in the day regardless.

Live in a poorly lit, quiet residential area.

I take her out alone along the streets I consider safest, dog has a light up collar and I have a light coloured visible coat and carry my phone, no headphones worn ever, stay vigilant. I do this because I think it is the best solution though I am not comfortable and wouldn’t choose to walk alone at night otherwise.

Is this what you would do? If so would you carry a personal alarm? If you wouldn’t walk alone in the dark how would you manage this situation?

OP posts:
snoopythebeagle · 06/12/2025 16:56

I would just take my dog for a walk as normal, using a headtorch to keep my hands free.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 06/12/2025 16:59

Yes this. If I didn't walk in the dark, I wouldn't be able to get home from work in the winter, so I'd have no problem walking a dog in the dark, especially in a residential area. Probably wouldn't walk them through a wood or down a dark alley but down residential roads is fine.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 06/12/2025 17:01

I wouldn’t give it a second thought tbh

WeJustWantYouToBeHappy · 06/12/2025 17:02

I carry a large, heavy maglite by the bulb end. The perfect weapon, if needed, aim for soft tissue with the other end.

InaPuddle · 06/12/2025 17:07

Head torch is a good idea yes thanks will sort.

one of my concerns is tripping up - day or night - pavements pretty ropey

Would you think the personal risk needs lowering by varying your route at all?

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 06/12/2025 17:09

I wear a high vis vest and running lights ( lots of walks on roads with no footpaths or lights) I also have a head torch and occasionally light up arm bands if foggy, dog has light up collar and looking to get him a hi vis coat too

Mumsknot · 06/12/2025 17:10

We used to live rurally with no lighting and everyone walked their dog with head torches - I think that’s the way!

Silverbirchleaf · 06/12/2025 17:11

I walk around the streets as normal. Dog has a light up, flashing collar. I wear a beanie which has a torch in it. Works really well.

I also vary my walk route, time of walking etc .

StruggleFlourish · 06/12/2025 17:20

Hello there, I'm glad that you asked cuz this is a very good question. This time of year we have more darkness than light it feels like, and the dogs still need to be walked.

I have dark colored dogs, and not all of the streets in my neighborhood even have a sidewalk, it's not a terribly busy residential neighborhood, but it doesn't matter. Even one car, if they can't see you, can have disastrous results.

Some of the things that I do is that I walk against the flow of traffic, so I can see the cars, I don't want to hear them coming up behind me, I want to see them.

I make sure that my dog is not on the road side, they are on the lawn/sidewalk/house side of me. It just gives them that much more room in case she smells something weird or see something unusual I don't want her to accidentally step in front of a car,

I have a leash I hold with two hands, one hand tightly, the other hand has more of a lead, so that gives her the opportunity to sniff and change direction ever so slightly, but I don't give her so much lead that again, she could walk in traffic.

I have a winter jacket that's not the lightest color in the world but I did purchase one of those high visibility workman's vests that you can get quite inexpensively, true I'm not exactly the most glamorous fashion statement out there but it's dark and I'm a dog walker so, too bad. My vest is bright orange with big silver and yellow lines on it, extremely high visible in the day and even more so at night. I also purchased a reflective collar for my dog, that is not her main collar, but it's one that I pop on at night.
She usually wears a harness when we walk, which also gives me more control over her, and I've attached shiny/reflective parts to the harness as well.
I figure the more visible we are, both of us, the safer we are.

I also have something called a lightey leash. I bought this a long time ago, And I don't even know if they still make them. It's a dog leash, it came in several colors that were bright neon, it takes a couple of AA batteries, and when you push the button the LED lights in the leash come on. Like a string of lights. They can either be solid or they can blink. I felt that using this leash wasn't quite what I was looking for, it's a bit of a visual distraction if you're walking and a driver or staring saying what is that bright colored line or flashing line? The last thing I need for them to be doing is trying to stare at whatever it is that I am that they can't figure out an accidentally hit us.... So I stopped using that as a leash that connected myself and my dog and I started using that like a sash, that I wear around myself kind of like a beauty pageant sash? And I don't put it on flash, because I think that's too visually distracting but I keep it on solid, when I walk. So, with me being on the closest side to the road, with all of us wearing reflective bits, I figure, we can be seen.

Maybe that sounds a bit excessive, but I don't want myself or my dog to get hit by vehicles when she's out for her evening walk. If I could, I wouldn't go out for an evening walk at all but again it gets so dark so early these days, it really can't be avoided.

snoopythebeagle · 06/12/2025 17:21

StruggleFlourish · 06/12/2025 17:20

Hello there, I'm glad that you asked cuz this is a very good question. This time of year we have more darkness than light it feels like, and the dogs still need to be walked.

I have dark colored dogs, and not all of the streets in my neighborhood even have a sidewalk, it's not a terribly busy residential neighborhood, but it doesn't matter. Even one car, if they can't see you, can have disastrous results.

Some of the things that I do is that I walk against the flow of traffic, so I can see the cars, I don't want to hear them coming up behind me, I want to see them.

I make sure that my dog is not on the road side, they are on the lawn/sidewalk/house side of me. It just gives them that much more room in case she smells something weird or see something unusual I don't want her to accidentally step in front of a car,

I have a leash I hold with two hands, one hand tightly, the other hand has more of a lead, so that gives her the opportunity to sniff and change direction ever so slightly, but I don't give her so much lead that again, she could walk in traffic.

I have a winter jacket that's not the lightest color in the world but I did purchase one of those high visibility workman's vests that you can get quite inexpensively, true I'm not exactly the most glamorous fashion statement out there but it's dark and I'm a dog walker so, too bad. My vest is bright orange with big silver and yellow lines on it, extremely high visible in the day and even more so at night. I also purchased a reflective collar for my dog, that is not her main collar, but it's one that I pop on at night.
She usually wears a harness when we walk, which also gives me more control over her, and I've attached shiny/reflective parts to the harness as well.
I figure the more visible we are, both of us, the safer we are.

I also have something called a lightey leash. I bought this a long time ago, And I don't even know if they still make them. It's a dog leash, it came in several colors that were bright neon, it takes a couple of AA batteries, and when you push the button the LED lights in the leash come on. Like a string of lights. They can either be solid or they can blink. I felt that using this leash wasn't quite what I was looking for, it's a bit of a visual distraction if you're walking and a driver or staring saying what is that bright colored line or flashing line? The last thing I need for them to be doing is trying to stare at whatever it is that I am that they can't figure out an accidentally hit us.... So I stopped using that as a leash that connected myself and my dog and I started using that like a sash, that I wear around myself kind of like a beauty pageant sash? And I don't put it on flash, because I think that's too visually distracting but I keep it on solid, when I walk. So, with me being on the closest side to the road, with all of us wearing reflective bits, I figure, we can be seen.

Maybe that sounds a bit excessive, but I don't want myself or my dog to get hit by vehicles when she's out for her evening walk. If I could, I wouldn't go out for an evening walk at all but again it gets so dark so early these days, it really can't be avoided.

Is this AI?

StruggleFlourish · 06/12/2025 17:22

snoopythebeagle · 06/12/2025 17:21

Is this AI?

Last time I checked, I was not a computer.
Thank you for your concern
;)
Is my response really that unusual? I've been walking dogs for more than 30 years. I don't want to get hit by a car.

StruggleFlourish · 06/12/2025 17:23

I guess I could understand why you think the way I write sounds a little bit like chat GTP though.

VioletladyGrantham · 06/12/2025 17:24

I take mine to an indoor agility unit. It has play sand for flooring, a light and seating as well as lots of agility items for tbe dogs. A tenna an hour. I use it twice a week in the winter. Not affordable every day but it helps.

Gizlotsmum · 06/12/2025 17:35

Second walking facing traffic, dog on side not open to road, I also stop if I see a car coming.

justasking111 · 06/12/2025 17:37

snoopythebeagle · 06/12/2025 16:56

I would just take my dog for a walk as normal, using a headtorch to keep my hands free.

This for sure.

InaPuddle · 06/12/2025 17:39

Thanks you are right to consider visibility and cars my dog is dark brown so not very visible. Will get her a high vis jacket I think, though we are on wide pavements.

My close relative is concerned for my personal safety, with regard being attacked and they feel I am at risk and should carry a personal alarm. I will but don’t feel this offers any protection as such. I don’t want them to worry but feel a bit trapped by the circumstances.

It occurs to me to look for neighbours with a dog to walk together but the only one I can think of is moving out any day.

OP posts:
PlazaAthenee · 06/12/2025 17:41

Get a Silva, Smini head torch. It's USB rechargeable and so bright it'll take someone's retinas out.

I also carry an alarm and a key in my hand. This is just for walking back from work around 6pm. I don't have a dog but walk and run a lot.

Redhairandhottubs · 06/12/2025 17:51

My dog died earlier this year, but I used walk him at 9pm. (I’m late 40’s, female). I never really gave it much thought to be honest. There are street lamps where you are presumably? I had a torch do I could see to pick up poo and my dog had a light up collar. We live on a fairly big council estate, but I never felt unsafe. Do you live somewhere particularly dodgy?

StruggleFlourish · 06/12/2025 17:59

OH ... You were thinking about personal safety! Sorry I was thinking about walking at night / traffic safety which was my number one concern.

Yeah walking with a friend is great, dogs do need to be walked before bedtime, and if you can get into a routine, that's fantastic But if your neighbor is moving soon, not so good.

Okay, for personal safety, I would still recommend making sure that you are highly visible, both of you, because that never is a bad thing.

I would message someone, a friend, a family member, someone, when you were going out for a walk just as a matter of course, "hi so-and-so, it's 9:00 and I'm heading out with my dog for a walk should be about 20 minutes"...
Then check in with them when you get back. Don't forget that part. Just for that way someone knows what your route is, (oh yeah also have a planned route. Gets really boring to walk the same all the time but, makes it much easier to know where you might be)...

I planned my route based on quite a few factors, ambient lighting was one of them, how busy the road was was another, I didn't want a super busy street, but I didn't want an absolutely quiet street either. I made sure that I picked residential roads, I live in a semi-residential semi commercial area and I wouldn't go there, only residential...

You can carry a personal alarm, make sure that it's very easy for you to reach, not like in a pocket or something, but also make sure that you know how to turn it off in a moment, practice it. Because if you do something like attach it to your zipper of your coat that way it's really easy and quick to reach, and you accidentally snag it while you're walking and it starts screeching away and you're fumbling especially if you have gloves or something on and you're trying to hold on to the leash and your dog freaks out because of the noise... not a good thing.

There are other things you can bring with you, such as for instance pepper spray, or a small personal defense weapon, or something larger like a baseball bat or a golf club, but that's also asking for trouble. Those things could very easily be knocked away from you or used against you.

Probably the best thing is high visibility, making sure somebody knows when you're going, how long you're expected to be and what your route is, having a phone on you, (not that you're using, just on you, so if something happens, you might be able to call for help) and finding a walking buddy or two or three. Safety in numbers!

noctilucentcloud · 06/12/2025 18:33

I'm not worried about personal safety where I am, but there is a risk from cars if I'm on the poorly lit road with no pavement so I have a high vis, plus lights on both arms, plus a light for my dogs collar, plus a head torch, plus a high vis for my dog if the weather's particularly yucky.

Zippedydodah · 06/12/2025 18:53

I’m lucky that where I live is very safe and it wouldn’t worry me at all walking the dogs in the dark. I have a head torch and the pavements are wide. It’s also well lit.

InaPuddle · 06/12/2025 19:17

I am really appreciating the discussion thank you.

I don’t consider the area dangerous but it is very badly lit and there are some big bushes and trees that could obscure the view of who might be around. There is something of a cannabis issue. Never see intimidating groups. There are a few other dog walkers but most presumably go out earlier this time of year. There are lots of alleyways due to back terraces and I avoid being near all but one of these, that one is fortunately the best lit part..

I didn’t know pepper spray could be carried in this country. That could be an option to consider.

OP posts:
redannie18 · 06/12/2025 19:22

How do you get about for other activities in the winter? Like socialising or coming home from work?

its dark here from 3.30pm to
8.30am so a lot of my general out-and-aboutness happens in the dark. I generally only wear one airpod and keep my wits about me but its fine.

CoubousAndTourmaIet · 06/12/2025 19:24

InaPuddle · 06/12/2025 19:17

I am really appreciating the discussion thank you.

I don’t consider the area dangerous but it is very badly lit and there are some big bushes and trees that could obscure the view of who might be around. There is something of a cannabis issue. Never see intimidating groups. There are a few other dog walkers but most presumably go out earlier this time of year. There are lots of alleyways due to back terraces and I avoid being near all but one of these, that one is fortunately the best lit part..

I didn’t know pepper spray could be carried in this country. That could be an option to consider.

I believe the person recommending pepper spray is in the US, which has a very different culture and environment. Pepper spray is illegal in the UK.

ClassicBBQ · 06/12/2025 19:27

Walk my dog as normal. Luckily my dog looks scary so I feel very safe