For half the year in this country the daily walk happens in the dark at both ends, and a small dog at knee height is close to invisible to a driver turning into a side road. Reflective trim is the cheapest fix available: it does nothing at all in daylight and everything under headlights, throwing the light straight back towards the source rather than scattering it.

Underneath the reflective strips this is a padded step-in harness in breathable mesh, cut high at the sides so the edge sits clear of the fold where the front leg meets the body. That cut is the reason it suits fine-boned, long-legged small breeds. A low-cut harness rubs in exactly that spot, and a Bichon or a poodle cross will have the bald patch to prove it within a few weeks. Straps adjust at the chest, the buckle closes over the back, and the matching lead clips on.

• Padded step-in harness with a matching clip lead
• Reflective trim for low-light visibility
• Breathable mesh body with high-cut sides
• Adjustable chest straps and a back buckle
• Sizes from 3XS up to M
• Orange, black, pink and blue colourways

On sizing: this set runs genuinely small, from 3XS to M, so it is aimed at toy and small breeds rather than anything above a spaniel. Measure the chest girth just behind the front legs and buy on that number, not on breed name or weight. Two fingers should slide under the fastened strap, and any looser than that and a frightened dog can reverse out of it.

Who it's for: owners of small, fine-coated dogs who walk in the dark half the year and would like to be seen doing it.