“A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk.” – O.A. Battista

I’ll admit, there are some days when all I want to do is indulge my inner canine couch potato (especially after I’ve convinced my humans that I should be allowed to sit on the living room couch). But nothing rouses me from a deep slumber like someone dangling a leash in front of my nose and saying, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Walking is one of the easiest ways for dogs and humans to get into shape. With just a little bit of leash training, dogs make excellent walking partners, too. That’s because we’re supportive, nonjudgmental and dependable. We don’t care where you are going, what you are wearing or what kind of shape you are in—we are just happy to tag along and keep you company.

All we ask, however, is that you keep us safe. Walking a black Labrador in the pre-dawn hours while dressed in black like a Ninja is not a smart move. Yet, it happens all the time in my neighborhood. My advice? Spend a few dollars and buy proper reflective gear for you and your fur baby so that people, especially drivers, can see you no matter what the weather or time of day!

Clearly, nighttime visibility (or lack thereof) is one of my personal “pet peeves.” That’s why I could not resist when my friends at SafetyGearOnline.com asked whether I’d like to try the Night Dawg LED Light-Up Collar and write a review. Of course, I barked an enthusiastic “yes.” A few days later, a snazzy (and super strong) red collar in size medium arrived in the mail. I could hardly wait to drag Mom around the block to show off my new gear, but since it’s the middle of summer we had to wait a few hours for it to get dark. This gave us the chance to read the accompanying materials and test out all the collar’s cool features—the adjustable sizing, the easy push button, the replaceable battery, and the LED’s three light modes (glow, flash and off).

Finally, it was dark—time to head into the night. Believe me, this is NOT the product for you if you are a cat burglar (and really, who wants to be a “cat” anything?). That’s because it’s bright! It does exactly what it is supposed to, which is make your four-legged friend highly visible to cars, trucks, other people, and fellow dogs. Plus, it’s comfortable. As for Mom, she is really excited to take it camping with us next month, given my bad habit of sneaking away at dusk to check out what the neighbors are grilling up for dinner. She says this collar will make it easy for her to track me down from a mile away.

My opinion? This is a doggone smart product, and at $14.95 at SafetyGearOnline.com it’s a real bargain, too. It's also weather resistant—perfect for the dark, rainy days of fall and winter (when I can be coaxed off the cozy couch, that is).

Woofs, wags and wiggles,

Bella The Boxer