Dog Days of Summer: Keep those Eyes Protected!

PC: @cricket_the_bostonterrier on Instagram

Most dogs out there couldn't be happier to join you in the car. For them, it's just as awesome to go to the drive-thru ATM (they probably prefer the drive-thru teller cause they get a treat) as it is to drive an hour to your favorite hike. Dogs even love the car when they're on the way to the vet-- until they realize they're at the vet of course. They're just happy because they get to be part of your team. They want to go anywhere you go. And let's face it -- doesn't it brighten all of our days to look in the rear view mirror and see our dogs' giant (or itty bitty) head sticking out the window, ears flying back in the wind, tongue hanging out, happy as a clam? It's a sight that's tough to beat. 

PC: @amaugs on Instagram - Charlie enjoying the ride

Now imagine yourself on a motorcycle. With the exception of a few daredevils out there, most of us probably wouldn't head out on a motorcycle without the protective glass that's built into most helmets, or at the very least a pair of sunglasses. It's not only because the wind is so intense, but how often are you driving along and a little rock shoots out from behind the wheel of a vehicle in front of you and bounces off the windshield? You want to protect yourself, and the same should be true of our furry friends who don't know better.

PC: @gone.outside_ on Instagram, Julie and Loci Dog on their dirtbike

Almost everyone who rides a motorcycle or drives a sidecar motorcycle with a dog utilizes eye protection, and the same should go for your dog sticking its head out the window so you don't have to learn the hard way. But as you all know, we make dog goggles, so we'll let other people do the rest of the talking rather than just shamelessly promoting ourselves!

PC: @delta.fritz.the.gsds on Instagram

Ara Gureghian and his mutt, Spirit, are two of our longest and earliest supporters in the sidecar world. For a decade the two friends have traveled the country together on their motorcycle, a mission of healing for Ara after his only son was killed at the age of 26. He's had goggles and a helmet on Spirit since the beginning, but switched to Rex Specs soon after we opened our doors. "First of all, they really help with the glare," Ara says. "And being off road, there's a lot of dust created by other vehicles. I've had a couple cracked windshields -- that could have been Spirit's eyes. People are funny, when it comes to spending money for a pair of goggles that's going to protect the eyes of their dog, they'll buy a widescreen TV instead. Give your dog a break."

Spirit ready for a ride with Ara

Brett Fox, who documented his journey from Mexico to Patagonia and back by motorcycle, has similar things to say about his Siberian husky, Kiti. "Rex Specs are essential for her," he says. "Rocks, bugs, wind -- everything gets kicked up in her face. The [goggles] don't come off at all. These definitely protect her -- it's definitely a functional piece of gear."

Brett and Kiti taking off

Or take it from Dr. Mike Paul on Pet Health Network. "Foreign objects like leaves, insects and rocks can strike them with tremendous velocity," he writes. "Just think back to the damage a tiny pebble might have done to your windshield or the finish of your car. The cornea of a dog’s eye is far more delicate and damages are not so easily repaired."

So the next time you and your dog head out on an adventure in your car, gear up appropriately or consider only opening the windows enough to let the scents in without letting your dog out. It may not be as fun to watch in the mirror, but it's a lot safer if you don't have eye protection.

PC: @calliepupstagram on Instagram - Callie the border collie cruzing in style