Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Leave light on for dog?

Species: Dog
Breed: French Bulldog
Age: 2-5 years
Is it necessary to leave the lights on for your dog when you go out in the evening for a few hours?

My boyfriend insists that you need to because dogs get anxious when left alone in the dark. However, this is his first dog, and I've owned many throughout my life, and none have ever seemed phased by being in the dark for a few hours (some even seemed to like it).

I'm a student studying Environmental Science/ Sustainability so I would really like to know if it is necessary to leave these lights on. However, if leaving them off is bad for our dog, I obviously would not mind leaving them on.

Thank you for your time.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is an interesting question. I'm not sure if anyone really knows the answer to this!

My personal preference is to leave some kind of light on as it seems to make intuitive sense to me that the dog would like to have some sort of vision. We do know that when dogs go suddenly blind it can often cause anxiety. So, I would imagine that if it is extremely dark this could cause anxiety as well.

With that said, if you leave the light off and your dog does not seem to get upset (i.e. no panting, barking, pacing) then it is probably perfectly ok to leave the light off.

I wish I could point you to a more scientific answer, but I don't think any studies have been done on this.

Dr. Marie.


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Neomycin dangerous to cats? by fault i wish i hadn't, i gave my cat eardrops containing neomycin (i only gave... (15978 views)

Child and dog have a virus. My puppy that is 9 weeks old has had all shot. Today he has terrible diarrhea and... (6574 views)

Dog with swollen shoulder. There is something wrong with one side of my dogs shoulder. It looks swollen but if... (17960 views)

Will I be forced to euthanize? Hello, i have a 14 year old pit bull/bull mastiff mix (50-60 lb and on the smaller... (8504 views)

Pooping outside of box. Hi, I have a 13 year old cat named Dagmar. Apart from being slightly overweight, she... (6799 views)

Vaccines in Nunavut. Hi, We live in the high arctic and don't have access to vet services and thus... (5280 views)

Rat with red tears and increased thirst. I have a pet rat, almost 1. Shes been healthy her whole life, just had this weird... (9273 views)

Kittens not eating or nursing My cat had 5 kittens 5 weeks ago. Recently, she has stopped feeding them and taking... (12501 views)

Dog died at the vet's A couple weeks ago I noticed our dog Gauge was straining to urinate but couldnt. I... (8482 views)

Cat not eating since new kitten arrived. My cat's behavior has changed quite a bit and won't eat. I will explain when he... (19166 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.