Our dog is a full time boat dog who loves sailing and cruising the world. She swims, looks for dolphins and tries to get away with having lazy naps in the sun, but something to be aware of is that dogs can get sunburnt. The areas around their eyes, nose and places where the fur is thin or bare skin is visible are particularly at risk, and like humans, dogs can experience the harmful side effects of UV exposure. This includes sunburn, blisters and skin cancer.
If you're planning to take your furry friend out on the water and want to protect them from the harmful effects of UV rays, here's some of the products available that offer sun protection for dogs.
Sun cream for dogs
You might be asking yourself, do dogs need sunscreen? The answer, yes. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) and other well respected organisations, using sunscreen can help prevent sunburn and protect your dog from some of the other more serious side effects of UV exposure. The AKC also notes that some breeds are more at risk due to their physical traits, including hairless dogs, dogs with white or thin coats, and dogs with light pigment noses, eyelids and ears.
If you're going to use sunscreen on your dog avoid anything with zinc oxide or para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) as these chemical are harmful to canines. As a result, you generally want to avoid using human sunscreen for dogs because they tend to contain those chemicals.
The good news is there's a number of brands that make dog safe sunscreen. Apply it on and around the areas where the skin will experience sun exposure, avoiding getting the sunscreen in their eyes.
You should be able to find dog sunblock at the vet, your local pet shop or online from somewhere like Amazon. Currently the only FDA approved option is the Epi-Pet dog suncreen which is rated to SPF 30+ and comes in a spray. Other popular products include EBPP Dog Sun Skin Protector Spray by Emmy's Best Pet Products, Petkin Dog Sunscreen Sunstick and the Sun Protector Spray for Dogs by Banana Boat.
Keep in mind some canine sunscreens are not safe for cats.
UV protection for dogs eyes
If your dog has light coloured eyes and eye-lids they can be at risk for sunburn around that area. This can lead to painful blistering. Exposure to bright sunshine and strong UV radiation can also have a negative impact on the eyes of any dog, which is something to be mindful of when cruising with pets. Not only only are they exposed to the UV radiation beating down from the sun, there's also the bright reflection off the water to consider. Some of the more serious consequences of long term eye exposure to UV for dogs for include pannus (chronic superficial keratitis) and cataracts.
The solution we have found is dog sunglasses. These are shades that have been designed to offer sun protection for dogs eyes without being uncomfortable or impeding their movement.
Here's what to look for in a pair:
Strap size is adjustable
UV rated lenses
Lenses are interchangeable (so you can put in a new set when the old ones get scratched)
Comfortable fit over your dogs eyes
It takes some training to get the dog used to wearing them but after some practice and positive reinforcement, our dog happily wears them as we cruise around or go for a day sail on the boat.
The brand of dog sunglasses we use for our boat dog is Doggles. The Doggles ILS dog goggles come in a range of sizes, most of the lenses are UV rated and they are interchangeble. There's a sizing guide on the Doggles website.
Doggles aren't the only brand of UV protection goggles for dogs, they're just the one we like and use. Some of the other well rated products are the high quality Rec Specs V2 Dog Goggles, budget friendly NVTED Dog Sunglasses and CocoPet Dog Googles for small dogs.
Sun protective clothing for dogs
When sailing or boating with a dog trying to stop them from sleeping out on the deck in the sun can be a mission! To cut down on sun exposure when they can't, or simply won't, stay out of direct sunlight you could try some sun protection clothing for dogs.
Dog hats
When our dog was very little we had a hat for her to wear out at the beach or around the pool because she was too small and growing too fast for a pair of goggles. Aside from being adorable, it did a good job of protecting her eyes from the sun. If you're cruising with a dog then a hat might be a useful thing to keep aboard, especially if they're adverse to wearing doggy sunglasses.
The hat we had was just from the local department store, but you'll also be able to find them online or at some pet stores. Here's a few of the popular options that can be ordered from Amazon.
Round brim hat for small dogs (Same style as we used for our puppy)
PupLids are trucker hats developed by a beach dogs mom (vet) and dad (engineer), and hand finished in the USA
Pawaboo for matching human and dog hats
Sun protection for dogs that swim
When humans go in the sun we often resort to using clothing to protect us. If you have a hairless, light coloured or thin haired dog then getting them some dog sun protection clothing might be the way to go.
When choosing outdoor dog clothing for boating or sailing you want to find something that's lightweight and breathable. It should be able to withstand getting wet because chances are they'll be in the water at some point. Like the hats, dog clothes can usually be found at pet stores, department stores and online, including on Amazon.
Some of the most well-reviewed choices available on Amazon are the Playpup Dog Sun Shirt (Made in USA), KYEESE quick dry dog vest (2 pack) and Uadonile air-mesh dog shirt.
Portable sun shades for dogs
If you're doing a day trip out to a beach or island, or have a boat with limited shade then it might be worth buying a portable sun shade for the dog to sleep and rest in out of the sun.
When choosing a dog sun shield look for something lightweight that packs up small, as you don't want to be moving bulky equipment around the boat or tender. Here's some of the popular options you can order online.
Protecting your dog from sunburn
If you love taking your dog on outdoor adventures then sun protection is something you should consider. Dogs can get sun burnt, especially when they're out swimming, sailing and boating. As a responsible pet owner it's important to find ways to mitigate the risk so you can both keep having fun in the sun together.
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