It was a dark and stormy night…
Does your dog struggle with walks in the dark?
Welcome back to Eastside Tails, now bi-monthly! I’ve been meaning to talk about this subject for some time. Many dog parents I know have problems with walking their dog in the dark. It’s an obvious issue with the shorter autumn and winter days, and actually more common than you would think. I’m writing this during another storm, so it’s reminded me about the effects of wind and rain too. Wind is not a friend of dog walking or training, especially gusty winds, it can add to reactivity and over-arousal. So bear this in mind when you are thinking about walks, especially walks in the dark.
Dogs and night vision
Dogs generally can see better in the dark than humans. This doesn’t mean your individual dog can, but it’s more likely than not. Assuming your dog does not have an obvious retinal problem, how well they really do see even in daylight is usually a mystery. Because like us, there is huge individual variation. I always wonder how a dog being long or short-sighted might affect their behaviour. The short answer is of course it does. These are issues rarely diagnosed, or mentioned in training.
In terms of night vision, it could be your dog is below average, so don’t just assume they can see in the dark better than you. And obviously, puppies and senior dogs will not!
The day – night cycle
But if your dog does have ‘average’ night vision, remember they are not nocturnal animals. We are not talking super-power or owl-like capabilities. In the wild they would normally choose to rest and sleep in the dark, just like us. Not play, hunt or scavenge. Like us, they have a ‘circadian’ rhythm. This is a biological clock that shapes their behaviour and routines over a day. It is biologically-rooted, because the brain processes signals from the eyes which drives a cycle. Other things being equal, daylight is time to get things done. Darkness isn’t!
Witness how your young puppy magically settles down for some actual extended sleep (duration highly variable!) at night. Different animal from the excitable bursts of mayhem during the day, right? And the very common ‘witching hour’ that usually precedes bedtime (commonly 6-8pm) where you puppy is bat-crazy? That’s the biological clock in action: expending remaining pent-up energy to allow the body to sleep.
The point here is that the very idea of walks in the dark is not natural for our dogs. So why should we expect them to behave exactly the same way as if it’s daylight?
Is it obvious your dog is anxious?
For some of us, walks in the dark is an obvious problem. But for others it may not be if the effects are more subtle, or the very issue of darkness never occurred to us. Is your dog a little more ‘tight’, wound-up, fizzy, ‘scatty’, relieved to be home? I could go on. Have you made a connection? It could be many things but it’s likely it’s the darkness, so we need to be more sympathetic to their fears.
Why would darkness make such a difference?
Like us, dogs are always processing things they see. Like us, if it’s harder to see those things to process, dogs can become more anxious. Their brain heightens the other senses, so other stimuli become more amplified.
They are more aware of the ground beneath their feet, so if it’s cold and wet (more likely in winter, of course), this is not helping a pleasant association with our walk. They are more aware of smells, which might include the worrying ones (“uh-oh, that dog I don’t like is around”). And they are certainly more aware of sounds. Cars are noisier in the rain of course but any sound will seem ‘louder’. Especially as there might be less general activity compared to summer – less background hum of people hanging out or children playing. And visual stimuli can be exaggerated, like light bright car or streetlights.
If your dog is already reactive with things in daylight, it’s no surprise this reactivity will increase in the dark. And for some dogs who are otherwise fine during the day, they can become reactive during walks in the dark.
So how can we help our dog?
Safety first – be seen. There is a lot of kit out there, from glow-collars and Velcro lights to reflective harnesses and leads and anything hi-vis. Make sure you at least have something hi-vis you can wear too.
Here are six tips:
- Do we have to go for walks in the dark? Most of us walk our dogs in the dark because we have to, or there is no walk. Before and after work during the winter months is the most common reason. But what about at weekends or on your day off? Routines are usually a good thing, but there is no rule that says we always have to walk our dog at a certain time. As long as it’s before a meal or safely a few hours after, why not take your dog for one longer walk in the middle of the day? Instead of two shorter ones at either end of the day (in the dark!). For most of us, this is not normally an option. But remember, if it’s a dark and stormy night, or gusty wind, you can give it a pass this time.
- Consider a shorter walk
You probably do this anyway, but again, there is no rule to your walk that says you have to do the same daytime walk. Your dog can still have some exercise and toilet. But if they are obviously anxious, there is nothing to be gained by exposing them to long walks in the dark. If you are saving ten or twenty minutes on the walk, keep a little of this back for when you get home. It’s still their dog-time! Time for a little Stay training, a fun Find It game, or whatever they might enjoy to expend a little more energy. - Slow down a little
Let’s keep things as calm as we can – rushing fuels stress and adrenaline. - Avoid what scares them the most
Not so easy if you are in a rural or semi-rural area, but when you do have choices, make the right ones! So try to avoid the very darkest areas or hotspots you know your dog might be jumpy with. Help yourselves to see with things like a head-torch, not only for your safety, but it will help your dog too. Are dazzling car lights a particular issue? (Frankly they are with me, let alone my dog.) Then try not to walk against the flow of traffic in urban areas. These are small things that can make a big difference. - Engage with your dog
Those who know me know I’m a big fan of talking to your dog on walks, but in the dark this is especially important. We want to remind them we are with them and the walk is teamwork. We want to be careful to avoid rewarding or praising anxiety, so keep it calm and matter-of-fact. But ask them where they want to go (even if you are making the decision), tell them what an interesting smell that so obviously is. Let them relish in the sniffing more than usual if it’s really engaging them. (Remember those heightened senses? Here we can use this to our advantage). Break things up with a little heel-walking or focus training with treats. - Training
This is the best thing you can do to actually resolve the problem. We can start building a nicer association with the dark, using desensitisation. You can start on some basics yourself, it’s easy! At random times of the day (but when it’s dark), calmly put their lead on and go with them outside for a minute. As they are taking in their surroundings – they will always be looking at something – pop a high value treat in their mouth. Repeat this several times. You’re not really going anywhere. Then try and ask them to focus on you for a second, rewarding them with a treat if they can. Then go back inside, take the lead off, and praise them. Gradually we can do this for a longer duration during the training every day, but I would recommend always starting walks in the dark this way from that moment.
Contact me for a more bespoke technique for your dog. Walks in the dark can absolutely become less fearful for them, and you!
