From November to February, many dog owners in Finland walk both morning and evening in the dark. Finns call it pimeä aika, the dark season. Daylight is short, so if you can, move the week's longest walks and park visits to daylight hours, such as a lunch break or the weekend. Your dog knows the route by smell, but drivers, cyclists and other dog walkers still need to see both of you. Here is how to keep dark-season walks and dog park visits safe.
Wear a reflector: it is expected by law
Finland's Road Traffic Act says that a pedestrian moving in the dark should generally use a reflector, a heijastin. If you have just moved here, it is the first winter item worth buying. According to Liikenneturva, the Finnish road safety council, a driver on dipped headlights sees a pedestrian without a reflector only from about 50 metres away, while a reflector can be visible from up to 350 metres. On full beam, a pedestrian without a reflector shows up at about 150 metres, and a reflector or reflective vest at over 600 metres.
Placement matters:
- Hang dangling reflectors at knee height, ideally on both sides, so you are visible from every direction.
- Reflective bands work on a wrist or upper arm. If you wear several reflectors, the shin is another good spot.
- Check the packaging when you buy one. Reflectors sold in Finland must carry the CE mark, and newer models are marked EN 17353:2020. Older reflectors marked EN 13356 or EN 1150 are still fine to use.
- A reflective vest improves visibility at dusk and in daylight too.
With one hand on the leash, a reflector clipped to your jacket or a vest is more practical than a wristband alone.
Make your dog visible too
Liikenneturva points out that a dark-coated dog can be very hard to see in the dark. A reflective vest for the dog is often the safest choice. Put it on in the hallway so it doesn't get forgotten, and pick one that doesn't rub under the front legs or restrict movement. A leash or collar with reflective trim also helps.
A reflector only shines when light hits it. A light-up collar or a small LED clipped to the harness gives off its own light, so you can still see your dog on a forest path or at the far end of a park where street lights don't reach. Check the park rules first, though. In the City of Helsinki's dog enclosures, for example, owners are asked to always take off the dog's collar and harness on entering, for the dog's safety. In that case the light-up collar stays at the gate, and the park's own lighting is what lets you see your dog.
Point your headlamp down when someone approaches
A headlamp is handy for picking up after your dog or walking an unlit trail. A bright one also dazzles easily, and someone who has just been blinded sees nothing for a few seconds.
- Aim the beam at the ground in front of you, not at people's faces.
- Dim it or turn your head aside when you meet a person, a cyclist or another dog and owner.
- Don't shine it straight at someone else's dog. A bright light coming out of the dark can startle both the dog and its owner.
- In a lit dog park you usually don't need a headlamp at all. Switch it off so it doesn't dazzle anyone.
Tip
If your headlamp has a red light or a low setting, use it in the park. You still see enough, and it won't bother anyone else.
Choose a lit dog park after dark
In a lit park you can see how your dog plays with others, find the poo more easily and spot icy patches before you step on them.
On our city pages you can narrow the list with the Lit filter. The Nearest to me button sorts the parks by distance from where you are. Good places to start:
Note
The Lit filter shows the parks where we have confirmed lighting. We keep adding information, so your nearest park may well have lights even if it doesn't appear in the filtered list yet. A lamp can also be broken, so check on site.
Icy parks in the dark
In winter a dog park's surface can turn slippery fast when snow melts during the day and freezes again at night. In the dark you can't always tell ice from snow. A few ways to stay upright:
- Walk through the enclosure yourself before you let your dog off the leash. The area by the gate and the main paths are usually the first to get packed into ice.
- Slip-on shoe grips (liukuesteet) keep you on your feet when the ground is glare ice.
- If the whole enclosure is frozen, pick a calm leashed walk that evening instead. Wild chasing games on ice are not a good idea for your dog or for you.
- Park rules still apply in winter. In Helsinki's dog enclosures, for example, throwing toys, sticks and snowballs is not allowed.
Recall works differently in the dark
In the dark you can't see your dog as well, and your dog can't see your hand signals. A recall that works perfectly at noon can fail in the evening when something rustles in the bushes.
- Practise first in a lit, fenced park, where a missed recall is not dangerous.
- Rely on sound. A whistle or the same cue word every time works better in the dark than body language.
- Reward generously for coming back, especially early in the dark season.
- If you are not sure of your dog, use a long line.
- Call your dog back now and then in the middle of play and send it straight back. That way coming when called doesn't always mean the fun is over.
Also keep in mind that under Finland's Public Order Act, dogs must be kept on a leash in built-up areas. Fenced exercise areas such as dog parks are an exception, but even there the dog must be under your supervision. In winter it is also worth knowing that an unleashed dog must not be let onto a public, maintained ski track unless this is specifically allowed.
Keep it quiet in the evening
Many dog parks sit in the middle of residential areas, and barking at a late play session carries easily into nearby flats. Helsinki's dog enclosure rules ask owners to make sure their dog doesn't disturb the neighbourhood, especially at night between 22:00 and 07:00.
If you visit late, keep it short and calm, and if your dog starts barking, switch to a leashed walk. Check your own park's rules on its notice board or the city's website.
Checklist for dark-season walks
- A reflector for yourself at knee height, ideally on both sides.
- A reflective vest or a light for your dog, especially if it has a dark coat.
- Headlamp pointed down and dimmed when someone approaches.
- A lit park after dark: use the Lit filter and the Nearest to me button on your city page.
- Shoe grips when the ground is icy.
- Recall by voice and reward, and a long line where you're unsure.
- After 22:00, keep it quiet and short.
Pick your city, for example Helsinki or Tampere, and see which lit parks are near you.