A flashing dog collar provides an    early warning!

 

 

A flashing dog collar can provide a vital early warning to alert others to your dog’s presence at night, or even when the light is just poor.The stated main advantage of the flashing dog collar over other safety collars (such as the Reflective Dog Collar) is that it is not dependent upon reflected light. This means that your dog’s presence is not only visible to you in the dark, but also to the driver of an oncoming car before the dog's collar is caught in the glare of the headlights.

The light source in most flashing dog collars is generally provided by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), but EL (electro luminescence light) technology is also used as an alternative. The light source can be of different colours (with white, red, or blue being the commonest), but generally only one colour is used in a collar. Some people choose red as it is associated with a warning indication.

 

Fibre optics may also be used in the collar to distribute the light around it, and/or you may also find reflective material included in the flashing dog collar construction to provide an additional safety feature.

 

Power is normally provided by AA/AAA batteries or cell batteries, and there are varying claims as to how long they will last (e.g. 100-200 hrs) before batteries need to be replaced or recharged. Some of the collars can be switched to provide a constant light, or to flash off and on which can extend the life of the batteries since the power drain is reduced. There are also varying claims as to how far the flashing collars can be seen from, with the furthest being up to a mile away! Most collars are water resistant but not waterproof, so it is probably not a good idea to let your dog go into the water whilst wearing it. If your dog does go for a swim, wearing the collar the dog should be fine but it is unlikely that the collar will be!

 

In some cases, flashing dog collars are meant to be worn in conjunction with the normal collar, so check before buying. Alternatively, you can buy products which attach onto the dog’s usual collar to provide the flash, but in some cases the light source may not be as bright as the flashing collar. Additionally, anything which is attached to the dog’s collar, could increase the risk of the dog becoming snagged on protruding objects.

 

Some concerns have been expressed with regard to the effect a flashing light can have on a dog. If a dog is susceptible to epileptic seizures and/or other neurological conditions, then these may possibly be triggered by flashing lights. So if you decide you would like to buy one of these collars as a safety measure, but have some have concerns about its affect on your dog, purchase a collar that can be switched to flash or to give a constant light. It may be possible to fit the collar so that most of the light is at the back of the dog’s neck.

 

In summary, assuming you take the necessary care in choosing a flashing dog collar, this type of collar can provide an important safety measure for your dog by alerting others of its presence. So, first decide on the colour of the lights, then, whether you want both flashing and/or constant light source, and finally, check whether the collar you choose is to be used in conjunction or instead of the dog’s normal collar.