not for sure how this will fly but here is my thought.
we know dogs don't see red because there color spectrum is a lot different then ours. they see red as more of a dark black/gray color, and the rest of the natural surroundings a more white in color. with a laser your light is more focused toward one point, making a stronger light "beam". so with your laser pin firing from one area it looks like a solid dark colored line from your point to the dogs feet. so when you flip on the laser it looks like all of a sudden a solid black/grayish line has appeared from him to wherever you are at, and with the lower light conditions and white snow ground it may of appeared more solid to there color spectrum then ours? like stated earlier someone said a small black dot appeared and freaked him out, well it wasn't a dot but a line of all sudden. with it being darker outside the laser can stand more. with a spot light the light is more of a spreaded beam, all of the output of the light is not focused to one area like laser but a bigger "glow".
from what i was told by a guy at Bass Pro (cause i have thought about buying the red light that attaches to the top of your scope) he said do not point the light directly at the dogs, but aim a little bit above the dog and work your way down. you will see there eyes light up from the bottom of the lights out put then slowly work your way down but try and not to get the direct beam of the light into there face or shoot the light low at the ground and work your way up. your main goal is to keep the center of light out of there face because the center of the light has more output and becomes a big black/gray star burst of light all of a sudden.
i think it is similiar to taking a white spot light (mid power) and shooting it at your friend whose is lets say 100yds, if the main output of the beam is above his head a bit and the lower part of the lights output ring is on him, you could easily make him out in cover and from his view he can not tell much? but put the beam right into his face then he can see the stronger center of the light and better knowing your position.
thats about all i got......how did i do.
also here is link i found awhile back--- http://www.varminthunters.com/articles/nighthunt/nitehunt3.htm
Article was pretty much was I was figuring too. I think its probably about intensity. If the light is focused they'll see it, but if its dim and diffused and already red, it probably won't grab their eye.
