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Collars

Best Light-Up Dog Collars, LED Harnesses & Leashes (21+ Tested!)

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Does your dog run off during his nightly potty trip? Or does your nighttime walk take you past roads without street lights? Perhaps you live in an area with lots of fog and snow. If you walk your pup often in the dark or low light, you may need a light-up dog collar for your dog’s safety. Lighted dog collars make it easier for drivers to spot your dog and help illuminate your pathway while on walks. They’re also an excellent way to keep eyes on your off-leash pup during nighttime outdoor adventures. I’ve found the best light-up dog collars for you to consider, plus alternative LED accessories.

OverallRunner-UpBudgetBest LED HarnessBrightest
Blazin LED Light Up Dog CollarBSEEN LED Dog Collar Illumifun LED Dog Collar noxgear LightHound LED Harness Illumiseen Rechargeable collar
BlazinBSEENIllumifunnoxgear LightHoundIllumiseen
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What Is An LED Dog Collar, And Does Your Dog Need One?

Blazin' Safety Light Up LED dog collar

To put it simply, an LED dog collar refers to any collar that contains super small light bulbs called LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). At the push of a button, these tiny lights turn on, creating a bright glow around your dog’s neck that can be seen from up to half a mile away. Some come as a complete collar with a ring for identification tags and a leash.

Brown Dog wearing clip on LED dog collar with leash

Others are necklaces that slide over your dog’s head, worn in addition to your pup’s regular collar. LED collars are available in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and styles. The only thing common among all LED collars is that they each need a power source. Some are powered by disposable batteries, while others have a battery pack that can be charged with a USB cable.

Does Your Dog Need An LED Collar?

I’m going to be straight up. LED collars are not right for every dog. But let’s look at the different scenarios where an LED collar can be handy.

Walking dog on dark street with LED leash and collar lighting up the night

First, these collars light up. So, the most obvious use is lighting up your dog at night, right? It goes without saying that LED collars are perfect for walks at dusk when your surroundings soon become dark.

LED collars are extra-handy for black dogs. Their black fur blends in with the night, turning them invisible once the sun goes down, even when streetlights are around. If you have ever owned a Black Labrador, you know exactly what I am talking about – they are like ninjas!

Okay, so you still won’t be able to see your black dog in the dark, but you can keep track of him by the glow around his neck. It’s hard to blend into the shadows when you have bright lights revealing your position.

Black dog walking on pavement outside at night with blue LED collar around neck

Some owners go so far as to slip an LED collar on their dog when their dog goes potty outside at night. This way they can ensure their dog doesn’t wander too far.

If you walk multiple dogs at night, then it can be difficult to keep track of which is which, especially when you take off the leash!

Three different dogs at dog park wearing different colored bright LED collars

By equipping each dog with a different-colored LED collar, you’ll know exactly which is which as they race around the yard and the one to call back if they wander too far!

If you walk in an area without street lighting, then an LED collar is an essential safety device – they give cars advanced warning of your location. I noticed this walking on some of the streets near my home. It’s so dark that cars driving by can’t see me until they are right on top of me. It’s so dark that barely anything can be seen but the light of my dog’s collar.

Walking dog in pitch black at night without street lights using green LED dog collar for light

That green glow was perfectly visible to drivers. I noticed that cars adjusted their driving path 200 or so yards in advance as they spotted my dog’s glowing collar in the distance. An LED collar in this situation could very well save your life!

But LED collars are not just for those who walk at sundown. Have you ever been on a misty mountain trail walk? The foggy air can make it difficult to keep track of your furry friend as he sniffs around the bushes. LED collars shine through the mist, allowing you to locate your pup within seconds.

Pink LED dog collar glowing in bushes on misty mountain trail walk

If you look closely at the picture above, you can see the glow of an LED dog collar in the shrubs – try spotting that dog without an LED collar!

The same goes for keeping track of your dog in the snow.

Yellow Labrador with red light-up LED collar on neck in snow-filled park

An LED collar is a must for camping. In fact, this is my favorite way to use them. When I went camping, I kept the LED collar switched on during the entire trip, even during the day. My dog, Harper, has a bad habit of sneaking off to hunt snakes. The collar made it considerably easier to keep track of her in the shadows of the trees.

Does your dog love to play in the woods? We interviewed one owner who slides an LED collar over her Chocolate Lab whenever he explores the woods near her ranch. She is concerned that a hunter might mistake her pup for a deer and uses an LED collar as a way to advertise that it’s a dog.

Closer to home, I can recount a story during this test where an LED collar might have saved my pup’s life. Harper is curious but generally well-behaved. One night, she saw a raccoon crossing the road and sprinted after it. Unfortunately, I was not able to hit the lock button on her retractable leash fast enough. Fortunately, a car driving down the road saw her and slowed down. Now, it’s possible this car would have seen my dog even without the LED collar, but there was no missing the bright light around her neck that screamed, “Hey, look out!”

As you see, an LED dog collar is useful in any scenario where visibility is an issue. However, I will add that it’s fun watching two or three LED-collar-wearing dogs sprint around the park at night, as if the collars are floating – it’s a great light show!

Features To Consider

We were surprised to find a large number of LED dog collars on the market with varying features. Some to consider include:

  1. Durability & quality: You’ll want a sturdy collar, especially if you have an active pup. The quality of electrical components in LED collars varies a great deal. We’ve seen many reviews of collars with equipment failures.
  2. Brightness: This is another feature that varies widely. You’ll likely find that lower-quality devices simply aren’t bright enough. And not all collars have LED strips that run entirely around your dog’s neck, which can affect maximum visibility.
  3. Flashing modes: Many collars and other LED gear have flashing modes and a steady glow. Flashing lights can help make your pup even more visible, a feature you may want if you walk in traffic areas.
  4. Collar Adjustability: Some light-up collars are difficult to adjust because the LED strips don’t fit well through resizing clasps, so keep this in mind if you want an adjustable collar.
  5. Water resistance: Because these products have a battery, they’re not entirely waterproof. But make sure you get LED gear that will withstand walks in the rain.

Best Light-Up Dog Collars

Some of the different LED dog collars, leashes, harnesses and vests that we tested and reviewed

At Canine Journal, we spent 500+ hours testing and reviewing over 21 different LED collars and other accessories, like harnesses and leashes, to find the most durable, brightest, and best-quality LED dog collars available.

Overall Winner: Blazin LED Light Up Dog Collar Review

Blazin LED Light Up Dog Collar

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With visibility up to 350 yards and durable nylon construction, Blazin takes our top spot as the best LED dog collar. One of the best features of this collar? The LED strip has individual bulbs that fit through the resizing clasp, making it much easier to get the perfect fit than many other LED collars. It also has a reflective strip and three lighting modes: steady, slow blink, and fast blink.

Blazin comes in nine colors and four sizes, ranging from 8.1 inches to 27.6 inches in neck size (two widths). The USB-rechargeable battery can last over eight hours. It’s also water-resistant for rainy walks. Customers rave about how bright and well-made this collar is. You can also purchase a matching LED dog leash for ultimate nighttime safety.

ProsCons
Excellent 360-degree visibility Pricier than others we review here
Fits a wide range of neck sizes and is easy to adjust
Water-resistant
Lifetime warranty
Made in the USA

Pricing

Runner-Up: BSEEN LED Dog Collar Review

BSEEN LED Dog Collar

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This glowing dog collar is ideal if you just want to slip it on around your pup’s regular collar. It resembles human glow collars or sticks, but it’s made of sturdy TPU tubing (not liquid-filled). Its super bright LED lighting is visible from hundreds of yards away, although it’s thinner than the Blazin collar.

All you have to do to adjust the BSEEN LED collar is to cut the tubing for the ideal fit (the total length is 27.5 inches). The USB rechargeable battery lasts up to 10 hours, and it also has steady mode and two blinking speeds. BSEEN comes in five bright colors.

ProsCons
Great valueA few customers report that it keeps falling off
Excellent 360-degree visibility
Simply cut the tubing to fit your dog’s neck
Water-resistant
30-day money-back guarantee

Price

Third Place: Illumifun LED Dog Collar Review

Illumifun LED Dog Collar

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Illumifun’s LED dog collar is another good choice at a lower price point. This collar is made of sturdy nylon webbing with visibility up to 300 yards. Like the Blazin collar, Illumifun has three lighting modes (steady, slow flash, and quick flash), but it doesn’t have a reflective strip.

The USB-rechargeable battery can last up to eight hours, but some customers say it requires recharging every day. It comes in four colors and four adjustable sizes, with neck sizes ranging from 8.5 inches to 26 inches (two widths).

ProsCons
Affordable priceHarder to adjust due to the LED light strip design
Great visibilitySome customers said the collar buckle broke with too much strain
Water-resistant

Price

Personal Experience With Illumifun LED Dog Collar

“We use this at night so we can find our dogs in the backyard when it’s dark. We have also used it on the beach at night so we can see where they are and they don’t run too far ahead of us. It is a very bright light, so we have always been able to use it reliably to find our pups.”

Michelle Schenker, Rescue Dog Mom, Canine Journal Co-Founder

Brightest: Illumiseen Rechargeable LED Collar Review

Illumiseen Rechargeable LED Collar

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The Illumiseen LED dog collar offers incredible value for your money. In the daytime, it looks like any other snap-buckle dog collar. If it wasn’t for the battery pack, you could easily mistake this for any other reflective nylon dog collar.

And that’s part of its appeal. The low-profile design makes the Illumiseen one of the best-looking LED collars on the market. The nylon and clasp are durable and held strong when my pup attempted to race off after a squirrel.

Even so, I would be hesitant to recommend this as an everyday dog collar – like with all LED collars, there is little reason to use them in clear weather.

Illumiseen USB Rechargable LED Dog Collar in daylight

Press the button, and the LED collar lights up. Of all the LED snap collars we tested, the Illumiseen offers the longest view distance. I could see the bright glow of this collar 520 yards away. Bright enough for casual walkers and joggers to spot their dog in the dark.

LED lights have three settings – always-on, slow-flash, or rapid-flash. This collar charges by a USB cable that is included in the box. Simply plug the cable into your computer or phone jack, and you are good to go. It takes an hour for a full charge, and off this, I had 5½ hours of run time – just over a week of 40-minute walks.

Unlike our top pick, the sizing is much simpler and works the same as any other adjustable dog collar. Sizes are available from X-X-Small to X-Large. There are six color choices: neon green, royal blue, ruby red, bright orange, cotton candy pink, and sunburst yellow. The color of the LED collar determines how visible it is. While green was the brightest at 520 yards of visibility, red lost visibility at 320 yards. It’s nice to have the option to choose your favorite color, say pink, for your Princess Yorkie, but if you want the brightest Illumiseen collar, you can’t beat green.

This LED dog collar is weatherproof. Not waterproof. The difference is that the collar can handle some light rain or snowfall. But in a heavy downpour or if your dog decides to paddle in a creek, you’ll ruin the collar.

ProsCons
Very brightNot waterproof
Affordable price
Multiple sizes and colors

Price

My Personal Experience With Illumiseen LED Dog Collar

Boxer Foxhound wearing illumiseen LED dog collar at the dog park at dusk

When reviewing the weather, I was able to test this collar in heavy snow and drizzling rain and can happily report that it didn’t short out on both walks.

The puddle we encountered on our walk is a different story, though. I didn’t see it, but in the blink of an eye, my water-loving pooch jumped in. She rolled around as if her only mission in life were to soak up this puddle, splashing her LED collar in the process.

As water splashed on the button and charger connection, the collar shorted, and it immediately stopped glowing. Luckily, I was able to dry the collar out, and it now works just fine. Even so, I wouldn’t rely on this because I came across plenty of feedback from buyers stating that their LED collar never worked the same after it got wet. So, keep it dry!

It is also worth mentioning that the battery pack cannot be removed. It is permanently attached to the collar. This brings me to one of the few gripes I have about this LED collar—it can only be spot-cleaned. Fortunately, after each walk, a quick wipe down with a damp sponge kept the Illumiseen LED collar looking as good as new.

Best Light-Up Dog Harness, Clip-On & More

If you’d prefer to use a different type of lighting accessory for your pup, you have several other options. We think these products are your best bets.

Best LED Harness: noxgear LightHound LED Harness Review

noxgear LightHound LED Harness

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Do you prefer walking your dog with a harness rather than a collar? Or have a long-haired pup who needs more LED coverage? Our top pick for the best light-up dog harness is the noxgear LightHound. This harness is designed with superior safety and durability in mind. The vest is a fluorescent yellow military-grade Cordura fabric framed with reflective strips. The flexible LED fiber optic cables run across your pup’s chest and back for maximum visibility and comfort.

You can change the LED light colors (eight solid color options) or set it to six different multicolor flashing modes. The USB-rechargeable battery can last up to 12 hours, depending on the mode. It comes in four sizes (chest girth ranging from 12.5 to 50 inches) with adjustable neck and chest straps, and it’s easy to buckle onto your pup. It also has a strong rear leash attachment.

noxgear light up harness for dogs sitting on wooden crate

I’m going to level with you. Most of the LED dog harnesses that I reviewed performed poorly. Poor-quality materials and failing lights were common, but that’s what makes the LightHound even more impressive. Despite weak competition, they didn’t just make an LED harness that is slightly better than the others – they knocked it out of the park!

Your leash attaches to the harness by a ring that is located on the rear of the harness. Unfortunately, this makes the LightHound unsuitable for pullers. To put it simply: harnesses with a rear attachment encourage the dog to pull as your pup tries to prove that he is stronger than you. If your dog is a puller, I recommend using an LED collar with a harness designed to prevent tugging like the PetSafe Easy Walk instead.

ProsCons
Excellent 360-degree visibility On the pricey side
Durable constructionSome customers with highly active dogs said the LED strips pop out of the vest
Water-resistantSizing runs small
Machine-washable

Price

My Personal Experience With The noxgear Lighthound LED Harness

noxgear rainbow colored LED dog harness

In our visibility test, the lights on this harness could be seen from 680 yards away. Better still, it didn’t matter what direction my dog faced. I could still see her at this distance. Note that the color-changing mode could be seen from even further. At just over 800 yards, it was one of the most visible LED dog accessories I reviewed.

Curiously, this was the only LED dog accessory that didn’t exceed its advertised run time in always-on mode. In fact, it fell two hours short. I consistently averaged 10 hours of run time, but this isn’t a complaint. At 10 hours of use, the LightHound Harness was the longest-lasting rechargeable LED accessory I reviewed. Ten hours from a single charge? That’s darn impressive in its own right.

I’ll add that if you are in a hurry, a 1-hour charge gave me a whopping 8 hours of use. Great if you forgot to charge the LightHound after the last use. The battery pack charges through a USB cable that is included in the box. You need to plug it into your phone charger or find a spare USB port on your computer to charge the batteries.

The harness can be slipped on and off in seconds. It slides over your dog’s head, buckles under the stomach, and tightens over the chest with the pull of a simple strap. The process was simple, and in moments, I achieved a snug, comfortable fit. Like other adjustable harnesses, you need to perform these steps every time you place the harness on your pup or remove it.

Best LED Vest: Illumiseen Reflective LED Dog Safety Vest Review

Illumiseen Reflective LED Dog Safety Vest

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Many pup parents find this Illumiseen LED dog vest a better fit for their dogs. It’s convenient to slip on your dog if you don’t want to have to switch up collars. The soft, lightweight vest is fluorescent orange, has reflective strips, and a long row of bright USB rechargeable LED lights on each side. It comes in five sizes with an adjustable belt and quick-release buckles. Customers give this product overall excellent reviews. Just keep in mind that this vest doesn’t have a leash attachment, so your pup needs a harness or collar.

ProsCons
Excellent visibility May not fit over your regular dog harness
Easy to adjust and put onSome report that the battery fell out of the vest
Water-resistant
Lifetime warranty

Price

Best Clip-On Light: Outopest Dog Lights Review

Outopest Dog Lights

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Another illumination option is to clip a light onto your pup’s collar. These Outopest clip-on LED lights are bright, lightweight, and made from shatter-proof plastic. You can choose from three lighting modes: bright white, medium white, and flashing red. They’re USB-rechargeable, and the battery life can last up to 20 hours, depending on the mode you use.

ProsCons
Bright lightsDoesn’t provide 360-degree visibility of your dog
Easy to attach and removeSome customers said they broke after a few months
IP65 waterproofing and shatter-proof
5-year warranty

Price

Smallest Light: Nite Ize SpotLit LED Light Review

Nite Ize Spot Lit Dog Collar Clip Compared to size of American Quarter Coin

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This small LED light clips onto your dog’s collar, providing instant light. Once you are done, unclip it and throw it in your junk drawer until next time. Don’t be fooled by its tiny size. When facing you, this small LED light is incredibly bright. As long as my dog was facing my direction, I could see it from 760 yards away.

The glow is much more visible in closer quarters. I could see the light as it shined off my dog’s chest and illuminated the ground around her—even when she was facing the opposite direction. Nite Ize backs its clip-on light with a worry-free guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, contact them for a repair, replacement, or exchange.

Bright, portable, and affordable, this is a great alternative to larger LED collars.

When you first see this LED light, you may wonder how a battery fits inside. It’s powered by a CR2016 battery – you know, those small, flat, silver-colored batteries. I had 22 hours of glow time off a single battery. Two batteries are included in the box. There are two different modes: always-on and flash.

Like most other LED lights we tested, the SpotLit is available in a range of colors, including green, white, orange, red, and pink.

The SpotLit is weatherproof, not waterproof. It held up just fine to light rain and even mud that splashed over my messy pup, but it’s not going to hold up to a nighttime swim in a lake or even a puddle.

ProsCons
Bright and compactWeatherproof, not waterproof
Clips on and off easilyBattery life does not last as long as some others
Multiple colors
Rechargeable battery

Price

My Personal Experience With Nite Ize SpotLit LED Clip-On Light

Nite Ize Spotlit LED clip attached to dog collar

I’ll admit that I am a big fan of SpotLit’s portable size. It allowed me to pack it in my handbag and keep it on hand, just in case my doggy walks take longer than expected.

I met the owner of three Labradors – Luna, Lucy, and Boots – at the local dog park, who agreed to test a SpotLit on each – green, red, and blue.

Miniature Australian SHepherd wearing spotlit LED collar clip at dog park

We waited until it was dark enough that each dog looked like a black, blurry shadow, making it difficult to track which dog was which. After clipping on the LED lights, it was so easy to track each dog around the park. We knew exactly which dog to call back based on the colored glow of their collar.

Best LED Leash: Illumiseen LED Leash Review

Ilumiseen LED Dog Leash during daytime

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Of course, you don’t have to pair an LED collar with an LED leash. You can clip this leash to the ring of any dog collar. This is great if your pup has a preference for a particular harness or collar.

As a leash, the Illumiseen works as well as any other nylon leash. There’s nothing groundbreaking here. What you are buying this leash for is its LED glow. And that’s where it shines. Literally, I was able to see this LED leash from an impressive 520 yards away.

The leash is rechargeable and offers an impressive 7½ hours of run time off a 5-hour charge. Be mindful that, unlike collars, this leash comes with two battery packs, both of which need to be charged.

Illumiseen Rechargable LED dog leash at nighttime

The reason for this is that an LED leash is considerably longer than a dog collar. So, the LED strip is separated into two sections with a battery pack for each strip.

The leash can be either four or six feet long and comes in the same colors as the Illumiseen LED collars. You can either buy it to match the collar or mix it up and choose two different colors.

ProsCons
Bright and highly visibleNeeds two batteries
Multiple colorsLights up on only one side
Can see from over 500 yards away

Price

The metal clip was high-quality and moved freely. I had no issues with it getting stuck on the ring of my dog’s collar.

Just like the LED collars, the leash has three light modes:

  1. Always-on
  2. Slow-flash
  3. Fast-flash

Just one more point worth mentioning. Be prepared for compliments and questions. I learned on my trip to the dog park that LED leashes are still not commonly known. I had three different dog owners come up to me and ask about the leash and how it worked.

My only complaint about this leash is that the LED strip is only on a single side of the leash. If your leash twists, the lights can point in a different direction. Even so, I was considerably more visible with this leash than without it.

It would also have been nice if there was a loop for me to attach a poop bag holder to. However, that’s a minor gripe that does not affect this LED leash’s performance.

Consider Glow-In-The-Dark & Reflective Dog Collars

If you are not sure an LED collar is right for your pup, consider a glow-in-the-dark reflective dog collar. These are easily rechargeable and do not require batteries. The easy-to-recharge option by Mile High Life is a reliable pick that keeps a dog visible in low and dim light. It is chargeable in natural and artificial light and is quite visible in the dark. Some owners prefer the glow-in-the-dark option, as it can charge all day as a pup wears it, rather than needing to be turned on.

Owners of skittish dogs may prefer to use a glow-in-the-dark or reflective dog collar that can stay on all day instead of being put on for every single walk or outing. These can be very helpful for nighttime walks and other times of low or dim light. This one by Joytale is soft, made of neoprene, breathable, and very popular with customers.

Our Testing Process

At Canine Journal, we take reviewing darn seriously. We would never recommend a product that we wouldn’t happily use with our own precious pooches. That’s why we thoroughly tested every LED collar and accessory featured in this guide.

This was the longest product test to date. By the end of the process, we spent a combined 500+ hours researching, testing, and reviewing the most popular (and even some unpopular) LED dog accessories on the market.

1. Gathering The LED Collars And Accessories

LED dog accessories is an interesting product category. At first, we were shocked to discover that there are over 300 different LED collars listed on Amazon alone. However, as we dug deeper, we soon learned that the vast majority of these products are generic re-branded products from overseas.

In fact, many of these LED collars were identical in every way except for the brand name printed on them. We interviewed numerous store owners to separate the name brands from the pretenders. Once we weeded out the duplicates, there were not a whole lot of LED collars left.

We then went a step further and researched LED harnesses, leashes, and clip-on LED collar lights. Given that there were not enough of these products to justify their own best-of-guide, we decided to include them here.

To account for variables, every LED dog product we tested was neon green when possible. The reason we settled on this color was that it was available for almost every brand.

2. Testing The LED Collars

Let’s face it: you can’t review LED collars without a dog. That’s where my gorgeous pup, Harper, comes in:

Harper German Shepherd x Border Collie mix LED dog product reviewer

Here, you see her modeling an LED dog vest. She’s wondering why I keep attaching all these different lights to her. I’ll bet she feels like a Christmas tree.

Harper is a German Shepherd & Border Collie mix. Besides a few small patches of white fur, she’s primarily black and easy to lose sight of when the sun goes down. She was the perfect candidate for this test.

I also enlisted the help of:

  • Pooka – Chihuahua mix
  • Holly – Boxer Foxhound
  • Norris – Miniature Australian Shepherd
  • Luna, Lucy, and Boots – three Labradors

With my team of doggy testers on board, it was time to come up with the testing criteria for each LED collar.

Testing Criteria

  1. First, I wanted to test the run time. The rechargeable LED collars were charged for 12 hours prior to use, imitating an overnight charge. Those that ran on disposable batteries were loaded with the Energizer Max battery brand.
7 Different Green LED Dog Collars hanging up being tested for brightness

Not wanting to wait around with a timer in hand, I set up my webcam to record the glowing dog collars. From here, I simply measured the time on the video from when it was switched on until the time the LED collar stopped glowing. I repeated this process three times and averaged the time.

2. Next, I wanted to see how the rechargeable LED collars performed on a one-hour charge. If you forget to charge your LED collar the night before and your dog’s designated walk time is approaching, then you want to make sure it can last throughout the walk on a quick charge. Interestingly, no collar failed this test. All collars charged 60-80% of their capacity in under an hour.

3. The next test was for visibility. For this, I had my husband hold our dog in place while I walked until I could no longer see the LED collar. With some collars offering a view distance of over half a mile, this quickly became my nightly exercise routine. I then recorded the distance where I lost visibility. I swapped with my husband, and he did the same for the next collar.

Dog walked by owner at night wearing LED Dog Collar at different distances

Testing was done on clear nights, offering an unobstructed view of each collar. Since I live in Colorado, there was an abundance of opportunities to test visibility in the rain and snow. I also used the snowfall to test each collar for weatherproofing, which brings me to my next point.

4. While all collars we reviewed claimed to be weatherproof, only a few were waterproof. So to test these claims, I took each collar out in a snowfall and a light rain. I then observed whether the LED collar shorted out.

I also factored in fit, durability, quality and price into whether or not to recommend a particular LED collar – these points are explored later in this review.

Testing Observations

While testing the qualities listed above, we made some observations that are worth mentioning.

1. Color matters

Two green LED dog necklace collars glowing in the dark

Okay, so this one came as a surprise. The color of the LED collar that you choose can have a drastic impact on the viewing distance.

In a comparison of the same collar brand, we noticed green was the most visible color at a distance. Warmer colors, like yellow, red, orange, and pink, were all less visible. In our test, green was visible from 520 yards away. Red lost visibility at just over 300 yards. That’s a considerable difference.

2. Weatherproof vs Waterproof

Jack Russel Terrier Wearing Orange LED dog collar in snow

When we interviewed customers, there seemed to be confusion between the phrases weatherproof and waterproof.

To put it simply:

  • Weatherproof – Resistant to light rain and light snowfall, but prolonged exposure may damage the collar.
  • Waterproof – Can be submerged underwater, survive torrential downpours, and tunnel through deep snow.

We found that weatherproof is an annoying claim to test and varied from collar to collar. Some weatherproof LED collars could tolerate light rain, while others fizzled completely.

If your dog is water-addicted and loves to jump in lakes, rivers, your swimming pool, or even small puddles, then only a waterproof LED collar will survive. Our top pick can be submerged underwater for 24 hours and glows the entire time!

3. LED Collars Are An Additional Purchase

Glowdoggie Ultra LED dog collar on border collie shining bright during the day

After testing every LED collar, we concluded that these won’t replace your everyday collar any time soon.

Even though the nylon LED collars we tested were durable, these products contain electrical components that offer another point of failure. Dogs are capable of dishing out an incredible amount of wear on their collars, from scraping themselves against trees and shrubs to scratching at their neck with their hind leg.

While each collar held up well enough during our review period, I have doubts that they will last through everyday wear. I recommend buying an LED collar in addition to a good day-to-day collar and swapping over to an LED dog collar when you need the extra visibility.

Nighttime Dog Walking Safety Tips

More than 7,500 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 67,000 injured in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Light-up dog gear is just one way to protect you and your pup while you’re walking your furry friend in the dark. Here are some other safety precautions to take on nighttime walks.

  1. Wear reflective or light-up gear on yourself, like the Moonsash reflective sash or the Apace Vision clip-on strobe LED lights.
  2. Choose your route carefully, staying in well-lit and low-traffic areas that you’re familiar with.
  3. Always use a leash when walking your dog at night.
  4. The CDC recommends avoiding using earbuds or similar devices, which can cause you distractions when you’re walking.
  5. Bring your phone with you on walks, just in case you run into problems.
  6. Use a hands-free flashlight, like this GearLight LED Head Lamp, which will help you illuminate your walk.

Need Protective Gear For Your Pup?

Do you spend a lot of outdoor time with your furry friend on walks, camping, hiking, and other activities? Keeping your dog hydrated can be challenging when you’re out and about, but having a portable dog bottle can help a ton. You may also want to consider dog sunscreen and dog shoes for the hot pavement to protect your pup during the summer. See our reviews of the best dog coats and boots for cold weather safety.

Why Trust Canine Journal?

Danielle has shared a special bond with dogs since childhood. She has over 30 years of experience with rescue dogs of all sizes and ages. Danielle has tested hundreds of pet products, including LED and glow-in-the-dark collars, on her own dogs. Danielle is a dedicated professional researcher and pet product reviewer. She spends countless hours researching the latest pet care, health, food, and training developments to help owners learn what’s behind the label.

Sally Jones

Sally has over 25 years of professional research, writing, and editing experience. Since joining Canine Journal (CJ) in 2015, she has researched and tested hundreds of dog accessories, services, and dog foods. In addition, she brings decades of experience in health sciences writing and communications and is the CJ resident expert on canine health issues. Sally holds a BA in English from James Madison University and an MA from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism & Mass Communications. Her work has appeared in several notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, and Huffington Post. Sally is currently a pet parent to a rescue dog, Tiny, and three rescue cats.

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