Are LED Lights Safe For Dogs?

If you own a dog, you undoubtedly know that they can be very curious, very cheeky, and like to chew on things. So you have to be careful about what they have access to in your home.

When it comes to electrical items, such as LED lights, you need to be even more prepared. The last thing you want is for your dog to be injured.

LED lights are generally safe for dogs, with few side effects to worry about. Make sure there are no trailing cables and look out for signs of distress that can be caused by flickering invisible to the human eye.

Dogs and LED lights aren’t incompatible, so don’t worry about banning these amazing energy-efficient lights from your home.

I’m here with the top tips you’ll need just to make sure your beloved dog feels safe and comfortable. This article covers:

• Are LED lights bad for dogs?
• Are LED strips safe for dogs?
• Can LED lights hurt dogs’ eyes?
• The colors to avoid for calm canine behavior

Are LED Lights Bad For Dogs?

LED lights are usually safe for dogs. They don’t generate heat which could harm your dog, you can often set the color of your LED bulbs to one that’s calming, and they have no other risks compared to traditional light bulbs.

There are some things you need to be aware of – including wires and light colors. It’s common sense stuff – making sure you don’t leave lighting wires where they could be chewed and don’t have lights that are too bright.

You need to pay particular attention to LED lights that a dog can reach.

If a dog were to chew on the cable that powered LED lights (or even the lights themselves, if it’s an LED light strip), it is unlikely that they’d suffer fatal electrocution.

However, they could get a nasty burn on their mouth, and the current can then disrupt other bodily functions. This can cause further complications, including fluid build-ups in the lungs, which can have a survival rate as low as 40%, depending on the severity.

Do LED Strip Lights Affect Dogs?

Good quality LED strip lights are safe for dogs as long as you install them (and wires) out of reach. As long as you’re sensible, there’s no reason you can’t add LED strip lights to your home if you’re a dog owner.

One of the most popular places to add LED strip lights is the underside of kitchen cabinets, providing a stylish glow on the floor.

But with lights this low, your dog could quite quickly get hold of the LED strip lights and cause some damage.

Equally, the cable that powers these lights may not be completely flush against the wall and is likely to be accessible to at least larger dogs and potentially smaller breeds, too, depending on how high your outlet is.

To keep LED strip lights safe for dogs, you simply have to make sure that they’re appropriately secured.

Tuck them away and pin them to the cabinet or wall closely so that there are no loose sections. That way, your dog won’t be able to get hold of them and hurt themselves.

It’s not just about chewing, though. If you use a lot of long strips of LED lights, there’s always a hazard of your dog getting wrapped up in them and choking, particularly if they’re at home while you’re away.

Dogs are energetic and playful and will tug and pull on anything they can find. Make sure that there are no parts of your LED strip lights where the dog might be able to get a grip and pull it away from the wall or cabinet.

Remember, too; it’s not just whether LED strip lights are safe for dogs – it’s whether dogs are safe for LED strip lights. I know that you wouldn’t want to invest in a beautiful LED setup just for your pet to wreak havoc and destroy it all!

So make sure it is all neatly installed.

Can LEDs Hurt Dogs Eyes?

Cheap LED lights can hurt a dog’s eyes because they may flicker. Even though we can’t see it, the dogs perception is completely different. LED lights that are too bright can also harm your dog, and the wrong color lights can cause eye strain.

The best thing is to make sure that you buy high quality LED lights. Then choose suitable colors of light, and avoid lights that are too bright – if you think they’re bright, your dog will too.

LED Lights Flickering

To the human eye, LED bulbs aren’t like the old filament bulbs that could occasionally flicker or give off a harsher light.

Dogs can see the flicker on cheaper lights, though, and it can make them scared – imagine artificial lights constantly flickering in front of you.

You would be uncomfortable too. There may even be long-term effects on the quality of your dog’s eyesight.

So how do you get around this? Just make sure you buy good-quality lights.

To be safe, I recommend that you completely switch off LED lights when you leave your home and unplug them entirely if possible.

Do Red Lights Hurt Dogs Eyes?

Red lights don’t hurt dogs’ eyes. Red LED lights are easy on their eyes, and most dogs will actually respond to this color better.

Red and green light is harder for dogs to see, so it just blends into greys. It doesn’t harm their eyes at all; they just can’t filter out that color.

So an LED light source of any color won’t damage their eyesight. But let’s look at how different color light can impact dogs in other ways.

What Colors Can Affect Dogs Behavior?

Dogs are more susceptible to blue and white light than they are to other colors. Blue and white lights mimic daylight and can impact their sleep patterns, affecting their behavior.

Blue light, even if it doesn’t look like a white-blue, can affect a dog’s circadian rhythm and mean they struggle to sleep. This can impact the dog’s moods and cause them to feel depressed or frustrated, potentially leading to aggression if left unchecked.

Most LED strip lights are fully RGB, which lets you choose the color you want them to show from around 16 million different shades. This can be really useful as it can help to set the mood in your home.

And it’s useful to help you set the right color for your dog’s mood.

Dogs can’t see the same colors that humans can. Studies show that they appear to be able to see different shades of blue and yellow more.

But avoid blue light at night to keep your dog feeling healthy. This is the same for humans too – blue light at night will mean you’re sleeping worse!

What Color Light Is Calming For Dogs?

Yellow light can have a calming and soothing effect on a dog, especially a warmer red-yellow that will be dimmer. Any red light can also be more soothing for dogs since they can’t actually see it.

I’d also recommend a lighter shade of blue, something more like a pastel hue. This is more likely to encourage your pet to remain relaxed.

Sometimes bright whites are more stimulating. A more gentle shade of a soft color can instead give your dog a more comfortable environment.

Also read: Can You Use LED Bulbs For Bearded Dragons?

Final Words

Has your dog caused havoc with your home lighting before? Or are you just in the process of upgrading to LED lighting, and you want to make sure there are as few repercussions for your dog as possible?

Dogs love to explore and chew on things, and you want to make sure they stay safe, mainly when they are left at home alone.

Make sure your LED strip lights are installed securely, and buy high-quality LED lighting to avoid flickering that could upset your dog over time, and you won’t have any problems.

Other types of LED lights will be safe for your dog – just avoid blue light at bedtime so that you don’t harm their mood.

To keep your LED strip lights safe for dogs, read how to install LED strips on the ceiling.