The only light you and your pup will ever need!

By Stacy Mantle

Now that summer is here, the sweltering desert days force us to walk our beloved pooches later and later in the evenings due to the blistering pavement that now take long hours to cool down.  This presents an entirely new set of problems for those of us who enjoy walking our dogs, but suddenly find ourselves burdened not only with our pooches and their leashes, but a water bottle and a flashlight as well.  PupLight has taken it upon themselves to solve this problem.  

They have developed a unique solution to the problem of seeing in the dark, and it’s called, simply enough, the PupLight!  This lightweight unit fits easily on your pet’s collar, or you can place the unit on the adjustable band that is included in the box and simply put it over your pet’s existing collar.  It also works incredibly well on harnesses, and just about any other contraption you may have rigged to control your pet.

Arizona, like just about every other place in the world contains a lot of risks at night.  Some of these can be found throughout the year, such as fast-moving vehicles who aren’t watching out for innocent people walking their dogs (even if those people and dogs are on the sidewalks), trash that your dog may find along the way and gulp up before “asking permission,” antifreeze that animals are inherently attracted too which inconsiderate and well, stupid people leave lying around, and a host of other issues.  But, in the summer, there are even more risks.  In the deserts of the Southwest, the evening hours are feeding time for coyotes, which sometimes get hungry enough to stalk our smaller canine companions (and who can blame them – we’ve run them out of their hunting grounds by building on their land, and burning down the rest of it – but that’s another story, and I’ll try to control myself…).  There are also the problems of cacti, rattlesnakes and poisonous toads that our domesticated animals love to stalk.  In Arizona, everything either stings, sticks or snaps...  But, PupLight allows you to see prey before they become the prey, and often before your dog becomes the victim of what they thought would be an easy snack.

Not only does this product allow you to control your dog by helping you keep your hands free and your eyes open, it helps others control their dogs.  For example, when my husband and I are walking down our quiet neighborhood street at night, and we run across another couple doing the same with their dogs, they are able to see us coming and cross over to the other side of the road.  Or, if we see them beforehand (this rarely happens as the light is so bright that they often see us first), we are able to cross over, and avoid what could be a dogfight.  (Nearly everyone in our neighborhood owns large animals, or small animals with very large attitudes!)

Yet another use for this wonderful product is to keep track of your pets.  For example, one of our dogs has taken to “hiding” from us in the evening to avoid coming into the house at night.  (He prefers staying outside and barking all night).  And so, prior to letting him out at night, we put the PupLight on him, allow him to “do his business”, and then we doesn’t come in when called, we simply follow the light.  (He still hasn’t figured this neat little trick out...) 

And, even when we’re not using it on the dogs, it makes a great little flashlight!  We’ve used it to locate our remarkably talented foster feral kittens as they hide under couches, entertainment centers and in cupboards on a number of occasions.

Do I like the product?  Can’t you tell?  Yes – we love it.  It’s lightweight, only 2.5 oz, so even the smallest dog can wear it. The collar operates on three (3) AAA batteries that last for 150+ hours.  The lights are LED bulbs, which are incredibly bright and shine an average of 200 feet forward, and 70 feet to each side. The strongest flashlight in the world can’t pull that off.  At least none that I have found!  The light remains steady, despite the movements of the dog, and it even includes a “fur guard”, so even the longhaired pups can use it.  It’s fully adjustable, easy to use, and very sturdy.  The casing is water-resistant if you have a desire to take a walk in the rain, and since “one size fits all”, you can use one light on any of your dogs. It even has a special rim to keep the light away from the dog’s eyes.

In conclusion, I have to say we love this product!  I would say the best part of all is that it keeps your hands free to walk safely with your pet, giving you the freedom to keep a sharp eye on what’s coming up, or to reward your pet with your “now” free hand.  If you walk multiple dogs, or walk at night (even if it’s only on occasion), this is a must-have item.  It will make your life, and your pet’s life, much safer and much more enjoyable.  Who knows?  It may even scare off a few coyotes along the way!

From the Dogs:

Growls:  I’m not sure how they keep finding me in the middle of the night all of a sudden, but I have a feeling this light has something to do with it!  And how are we supposed to catch a toad with that darned light warning everything we’re coming?

Leaps of Joy:  The cars stay really far away from us now!  I think they believe we are motorcycles!

From the Humans:

Two opposable thumbs up: This is something every dog owner should have!  We love how it gives us a sense of safety, allows us to monitor our pups more securely, and gives us the opportunity to free ourselves of carrying a flashlight!    

Drawbacks?  Nothing yet… If anything turns up – you’ll be the first to know!