Dog Sunglasses

Dog sunglasses, also known as "doggles" are sometimes necessary if a dog has had eye surgery or some other problem where light is hurtful to their eyes.

Jo was given the instructions below by her friend, Ellen, whose dog had undergone eye surgery for cataracts. Ellen could tell by his reaction that the sun was bothering his eyes when he went outside, so she made him a pair of dog sunglasses.

Note that the type shown below do not fit our criteria for "doggles" since they do not fit as snugly. We would not recommend them for high-speed situations such as your dog hanging his or her head out a car window or riding on a motorcycle.

Ellen's Canine Sunglasses

• 20 oz clear plastic beverage bottle (with no grooves or ridges under the label area)
• Automobile window tinting film (dark tint for a dog with cataracts)
• 1/4 inch [6mm] black elastic, 12 inches [250mm] long
• Stapler with standard size staples

COST

• Empty beverage bottle – USD 1.25 or less
• Black elastic – less than USD 1.00
• Automobile window tinting film – this can be expensive and most kits or rolls offer much more than you will need – your best option would be to call around to automotive glass dealers and see if they have a small piece available for you to purchase or get for free. Make sure the film blocks ultraviolet (UV) rays (per "Further comments from Ellen" below).

PREPARING THE GLASSES

• Cut out the middle bottle section along the label edges

• Cut straight across (perpendicular to) the tube along the label seam*
• *Most times you will have white stuff that remains on or in the bottle. That's why you need to cut through that area when cutting open the tube. It puts the opaque stuff at the edge of the glasses where it won't block most dogs’ field of vision
• Remove the label and clean off any remaining pieces
• The curled strip forms the basis of your dog sunglasses
• Trim the edges smooth, rounding the corners

APPLYING THE TINTING FILM

• Lay the glasses on the film
• Cut the film about 1/4 to 1/2 inch larger than the glasses
• Firmly apply a piece of tape to the backing of the film
• Pull up on the tape so the backing lifts off the film
• Peel off the backing slowly and start applying the film to the glasses
• Make sure you are covering the concave side (rounded outside) of the glasses
• Rub back and forth with your fingers to get the film to stick well
• If a bubble develops, peel the film back and reapply
• Once the film is firmly applied, trim the film flush with the edges

ADDING THE ELASTIC

• Staple the elastic twice to one top corner of the plastic tube
• Make sure the crimped parts face outward or the staples may catch in fur
• Place the glasses across your dog's eyes
• Pull the elastic behind the dog’s ears to the other side of the glasses
• Cut the elastic, leaving an inch or so extra just in case
• Use a paper clip to fasten where you think it ought to go
• Check the fit - the glasses should be snug but not tight
• Staple and check the fit again
• If your dog has upright ears, you may need to add another strap under the chin (see picture of Comet)

Further comments from Ellen:

I have tried colored bottles instead of the tinting film to make the dog sunglasses. There were two problems with that:

• One, they don’t block much sunlight
• Two, they won't block any UV rays

For more information on dog sunglasses see doggles.com or

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