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We have created this video and infographic to help you decrease or mitigate the risk of your dog becoming a statistic. Much of this may be information you already know, but it is always good to have reminders. Also, there may be others out there who can benefit from this information so be sure to share with fellow dog lovers
You may even be wondering if a reflective dog vest is even necessary or your PUP may not like wearing clothing. Think of it like the seatbelt in your car. It is true that you may drive many places where your seatbelt was not needed, but you still buckle up. Why?
The truth is that the laws are not designed with our dogs safety in mind. This is a matter you must take into your own hands. Your dogs reflective vest could mean the difference between life and death.
[Download How Visibility Prevents Motor Accidents InfoGraphic]
[Download How Visibility Prevents Motor Accidents InfoGraphic]
Our dogs are tough. They hide their pain, so even if they get up and seem fine after an accident the incident should be treated as an emergency.
If you hit a dog be sure to STOP, if needed carefully move the dog out of harms way, call 911, and wait for help to arrive.
If your dog is hit by a car then get your PUP to the vet AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Yes, we understand veterinary bills can be expensive. Emergency costs are often more reasonable than you might think. And this is part of the cost and responsibility of dog ownership. Set some money aside now and keep it available in the event of an emergency.
If your dog is unconscious take care to drive slowly avoiding any bumps or potholes in the road so as to not further injure your dog.
Dogs who chase cars are more likely to be hit by a car.
If your dog gets loose or you lose control of the leash you may be tempted to react quickly. However, chasing your dog will trigger them to run. Even yelling at your dog can trigger them to run. Your dog is often recognizing the tone of your voice more so than the words of the voice command. When you yell your tone changes and this can trigger flight.
To recognize the importance of visibility let's take a look at the top 5 causes of car accidents.
Dogs are especially vulnerable, because they are low to the ground and typically blend in with their surroundings. Being low to the ground means they are already out of the natural line of sight. A humans focal point of vision is actually very small and most drivers are not looking for dogs. In fact most drivers are barely paying attention to the road.
Off leash a high visibility reflective dog vest reflects the bright headlights from a car directly back into the drivers eyes. This increase in visibility means your dog will be seen two times sooner than if they were not wearing the vest and gives the driver more time to react. More time to react decreases the risk of a motor accident occurring significantly.
On leash a high visibility reflective dog vest paired with a high visibility reflective leash increases the visibility of both dog and owner. As the leash travels up to the owners hand it also raises the line of sight where light is reflected directly back into the drivers eyes. Remember when auto manufacturers started putting brake lights in the rear windows of cars? In the same way having the reflectivity higher in the line of sight will greatly reduce the risk to both you and your dog.
Good training especially when it comes to voice commands is also a life saver. Our dogs are brilliant and have built in survival instincts, but they are not aware of their surroundings in the same way that we are. They often may not see danger coming and they are easily distracted. When your dog responds well to voice commands you are able to lead and instruct your PUP along your daily journeys to keep them out of harms way.
Teach your dog the following commands:
Good behavior is also important. Train your dog to follow you. When your PUPs attention is focused on your every move and they are awaiting direction then they are less likely to be distracted by what is going on around them. This is definitely easier said than done so try this:
Practice coming to a stop, having your dog sit, and wait for command to proceed at every street crossing. This will teach your dog the behavior of stopping before crossing the street. Enough repetition and you will find your PUP will still stop and wait if they get off leash.
1.2 million dogs are killed on the road each year in the US alone. We do not want any PUP to be a part of that statistic. Take your dogs safety into your own hands. Use good training and high visibility with a reflective dog vest and leash to decrease the risk of motor accidents with your PUP. Preparation is the key to success with anything.
Being seen is being loved.