does having a light on matter for my pup outside?

Question

hi,

i have a golden pup of 3 months. he sleeps outside in our pergola area. When it gets dark at night, does it matter to dogs if we leave a light on?

for those curious - our pergola area is very sealed and feels just like indoor another room.

Answer 1

Personally, I love my dogs like my own little children and let them sleep in bed with me. I figure that they like the same things that I like: warm/cool, soft, comfortable, etc.. so my dogs sleep in a dark to dimly-lit room.

They are mammals and I would think that 1. it might run a risk of screwing up their internal sleep/awake cycle if there is constantly a light on and that 2. it might hurt their eyes and make it harder to fall asleep.

Then I would feel bad if I left my dog outside in the dark... but I'm just slightly neurotic that way. lol

I'm sure it probably doesn't hurt or matter too much and just comes down to you and your new puppy's own personal preferences.

Answer 2

You know, my dog sleeps indoors, but I noticed when he was a pup he wanted the light on or else he'd kind of whimper. He didn't want to sleep in the room with me, but he liked having the living room light on a little bit. But when he hit 4 months he didn't really have a problem with all the lights off. Just my own experience not sure how your pup gets.

Answer 3

Things that make you go hmmmm, you have him sleeping "outside" why not inside? and yet you are worried about light...just wondering what the thought process is behind that? I have always thought that it didn't really matter, lights on or off. Since my gang sleep inside, they just naturally sleep in the dark as do I. However, when one of my rescue dobies came to me at 9weeks old, I started with him in an open (wire/metal) crate at night in the living room, when I turned the lights out he would cry and cry. I stood firm for over 2 weeks that this was his bed space - finally had to move the crate into the bedroom for he and I to get any sleep. To this day 3 years later, he won't go into a dark room unless I go first - I feel awful that I created that. Move the pup inside WITH the rest of the pack - lights on or off won't matter.

Answer 4

Sometimes having a light in a closed room can add heat to the area and make your pet very uncomfortable. Maybe try something like a night light if it gets pitch black. If it's lighted from the street lights or house lights around your house or whatever then I wouldn't bother with it.

Answer 5

it won't bother him if there is a place where he can get away from the light because it might be keeping him awake, dogs are funny little guys,I once put my shepherd pup in a doghouse and pen and he howled inside the doghouse I went out and took a look inside and there was a nail poking straight down from the new roof my husband had nailed on, he wanted rid of that nail and once the nail was gone he went right to sleep. most dogs like a small doghouse about the size of their den in the wild big enough to stand and turn around and curl up in a nice dark space and go to sleep but not so big that other predators might get in there with them they like to feel secure

Answer 6

Dog are people too. A small night light would make you feel better, great but put his bed when it is dark. You respond to what he does. Their night vision is better than ours. My cocker was abused before we got him and he was afraid of the dark but got over than and now that he is old and going blind he is again somewhat limited in the dark. ...so I leave lights on in the house until he goes to bed.

Answer 7

It doesnt really matter whether you leave the light on or off. And if you have noticed thus far the light has not been affecting him then leave it on. Dog dont really need light to make them feel secure and comfortable, and they are suited for their eyes to adjust in the dark.
Its totally up to you whether you want the light on or off.

Answer 8

Depends on the dog. If I get home after dark and I forgot to put a light on, I come home to a crying puppy... when I put a light on, he's fine. It's up to you, but I'd put a night light on.

Answer 9

my dog is actually scared of the dark, if she is in a room where the light is on she will come running out howling, we still are unable to put a finger on why she is afraid of the dark, we have to leave a night light on in our room & the rest of the house as if its dark she will howl like shez being attacked.

i suggest if you are concerned about your dog in the dark then put a night light in he's room.

Answer 10

Dogs are not scared of the dark, if that is what you are asking. They don't need it to feel comfortable so I would only do it if you feel that he could injure himself in the dark, such as if there are a lot of stairs or a lot of objects he could trip on. But keep in mind that their vision adjusts to the dark as well, if not better than ours, so it probably isn't necessary.