11 illuminating products to help you safely walk your dog at night

Going for a walk in the dark doesn’t have to be gloomy with these bright and super fun accessories.

It’s that time of year again when the sun starts setting earlier and earlier - and before you know it, you’re getting up for work even before the birds are awake and coming home when the owls are hooting.

Of course, this means that if you’ve been enjoying walking your dog before or after work, you’re now going to be faced with suiting up to take your furry BFF out on some night-time strolls instead of watching the warm sunny sunsets us Vancouverites have become well accustomed to.

But don’t worry - we’ve put together a bunch of cool products for both you and your pooch to make sure your evening walks are safe and fun, so that even the darkest of dogs can still be spotted out in the park.

Jackets

First things first - a toasty jacket to keep your pup warm on those chilly nights! We love this Night Vision Reflective Jacket from Canada Pooch and its futuristic vibes. Check out more of their night-time range here.

If you and your dog are heading out on some more adventurous evening trips, Ruffwear has some great options for all weathers, including this Lumenglow High-Vis Jacket, which comes in three different colours.

We’re also in love with this super smart Cognito Luminous Reflective Jacket from Vancouver-based pet dresser Woof Concept that has a built in camo design that shows up when illuminated. Plus it has a soft polar fleece lining to keep your pup snug on their walks.

Collars

When it gets super dark, this NiteDog Rechargeable Collar from NiteIze will make sure you don’t lose sight of your dog if they’re off leash. Plus, this brand specialises in reflective gear from dog collars, harnesses and balls to LED lamps and cycling gear - so both you and your pooch are covered.

We also love this Arcadia Glow-in-the-Dark Collar from PetSmart - which is also branded as stink-free! The porous plastic coating doesn’t attract bacteria, smells or odours and can easily be wiped clean without any of the hassle of hand or machine washing the collar.

Leashes

Of course this list features an LED leash to match the rest of your reflective kit! This NiteDog Rechargeable Leash goes excellently with the brand’s matching collar and comes in blue and green.

We're also fans of this simple but does-the-job Petco Reflective Dog Leash from Canadian Tire, which draws attention to you and your pup on low-light outings with details that bounce off light.

Accessories

As we all know, Vancouver sees a LOT of rain in fall and winter, and so darker evenings won’t necessarily be dryer. Although they aren’t reflective, we love these little WagWear WagWellies Boots sold at Main Street-based doggy shop, Good Boy Collective.

If you haven’t got a LED or reflective collar, don’t worry as NightIze also supplies super easy-to-use clip-on collar lights, like the SpotLit XL Rechargeable Collar Light. Even better, this is really simple to charge - just plug it into a USB cable!

Toys

Just because it’s dark, it doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun! We love these awesome toys from NiteIze - our favourites are the Flashlight Dog Discuit LED flying disc and the Huck ’N Tuck GlowStreak collapsible thrower and LED ball.

The disc is made of soft-touch and bite-friendly plastic, with easily replaceable batteries under a canine-resistant cap. Even better, the LED ball floats too, so if you’re down by the water your pup can’t miss it - plus it shouldn’t go missing like a tennis ball would!