The 5 Best Dog Goggles Australia: Tested & Evaluated 2024

Just picture a dog with sunglasses. Is there anything more adorable? We think not! But in all seriousness, doggy goggles are not just a fashion accessory - sometimes they can really help our four-legged friends.

If for whatever reason, you have found yourself looking for doggles, today we are here to guide you through this strange world. Our best dog sunglasses Australia offers guide is here to solve all your dilemmas.

To deliver all the information you need, we joined forces with canine behaviourists, veterinarians and dog parents to create an independent team of experts and investigate the best dog goggles in Australia. After months of research and several dozen types of dog goggles later, we were finally able to agree to the contents of this review. Let's check it out.

Australia's Best Dog Goggles & Sunglasses Reviewed

Ready to step into the world of dog goggles? Ahead, we share the very best dog goggles in Australia that dazzled every member of our team of independent experts while protecting the eyes of their beloved dogs. Here are the best products we’ve found:

These dog shades from QUMY are a good choice if you are buying your first dog sunnies. They are quite lightweight, easy to fit, comfortable, and provide protection from UV light. That covers pretty much everything you should look for in sunglasses for dogs.

These sunnies look colourful from the outside, like our number five choice ahead, though they're more functional. Somewhat like regular ski goggles, and when you look from the inside, they are quite dark (I was able to check that for myself!), making them perfect for days with strong sun and activities near water or snow where the light can be especially damaging.

The main difficulty with designing dog sunglasses is achieving the right fit since different dog breeds have quite different head shapes. However, the QUMY goggles are designed to be flexible and adjustable so they can fit most dogs that fall into the small to medium category.

These goggles have a wide nose bridge that is flexible on the sides which help the glasses stay just right on your dog’s face. What our team of experts really liked is the padding around the edges of the lenses. It’s quite thick so it will make sure that your dog remains comfortable while wearing the shades.

The sunnies are kept in place with two elastic straps. The first one goes around the dog’s head, under the ears. The second strap can be placed around the dog's jaw to prevent the shades from falling off. Now, while the head strap should definitely fit snuggly, we’d warn against making the jaw strap too tight as it can cause discomfort. However, if you notice the jaw strap is hurting your dog, you could also simply place it around the head along with the first one.

Finally, QUMY does offer detailed measurements of the lenses as well as the straps, so you can measure your dog and make sure these glasses will fit ahead of time.

These pet goggles from NACOCO are another classic option. These shades are quite similar to our top pick, but they come at a much lower price. What’s the secret behind that?

Let’s start with the good things. These goggles are lightweight, comfortable, and will protect your dog’s eyes from excessive light and debris.

Everyone on our team of independent experts loved how they fit on the head of most dogs. The nose bridge is wide and flexible, allowing for the goggles to adjust to the dog’s head shape. The glasses are padded on the inside with a thick layer of foam which is necessary for comfort. Two elastic straps will keep the whole contraption in place - one goes around the head, and the other one below the jaw. The straps are adjustable too, so you can make sure the shades will fit snugly on your dog’s head.

Now, the downside. According to some members of our expert team, these shades don’t seem to be the most durable option out there. The main problem seems to be that the lenses tend to fall out of the frame. The good news is that this issue is fixable if the lens doesn’t get broken.

Still, I recommend this product if it’s the first goggles you are buying for your dog. You might not want to invest too much money before you figure out what kind of goggles will fit your canine companion and how they will react to them in the first place. If that’s the case, get the NACOCO shades and see how it goes!

These dog goggles offer a design that differs from our first two options. From the first glance, you can see that they were designed to fit a dog's head.

They are not just some stretched-out version of goggles essentially designed for humans, which is something we see way too often on the dog goggles market. These are serious dog goggles, so if you're looking for something a little more lighthearted, like for a photoshoot, then check out our number five choice ahead.

Instead, these shades are shaped to fit perfectly on the head of larger, long-nosed breeds like Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Dobermans, and German Shepherds. No, these goggles won’t fit any breed - but if they do fit, they fit really well. This is possible thanks to a flexible TPE frame that envelops the area around the eyes completely.

The manufacturers claim the goggles are waterproof too. Our team of independent experts are a bit sceptical about that (at least you’d have to make the straps really tight to make the goggles waterproof), but the Namsan Goggles do work better than most other options for keeping debris, water drops, or snow away from your dog’s eyes. For example, if you are looking for dog goggles for motorcycle rides, this would be a great choice.

These goggles from Enjoying are another nice option, especially for small and tiny breeds. The head strap is 10 cm long at the smallest setting. That can give you an idea of the size of dog these goggles were made for.

That being said, if your dog falls into this category, they might just love these shades! The Enjoying shades are completely black, making your canine look serious but adorable at the same time.

Of course, they are not there just to look cute. These goggles with large, dark lenses will actually do a good job at protecting your canine companion’s eyes from the sun, debris, or rain and snow. You can really use them all year round, and they are perfect for drives with your dog.

The internal side of the lenses features the obligatory padding along the edges which prevents the goggles from bothering your dog. The mechanism that keeps them on is the same as with most other goggles - one strap around the head, and another one under the chin (both adjustable).

The only slight problem these goggles have is the fact that the nose bridge is quite narrow. Our team of independent experts quickly learned that this means is that these goggles will fit best on our dog breeds with flat faces and short noses (think Bichon, Westies, Yorkies, Maltese…). For others, the shape is really hit or miss.

So far, we have talked about ‘serious’ pet goggles, like our number three choice by Namsan. Although cute, they are also functional and made for taking on a walk. However, we know - sometimes you only need the goggles for a photoshoot or a fancy dress party. 

If your canine companion likes it too, there is no reason to not go for it! Just make sure you don’t torture your dog by making them make goggles all the time for no reason.

And if you are looking for dress-up dog shades, this 5-pack from DPlus will ensure you find just what you are looking for. I especially love that when you buy this product, you’ll receive 5 pairs of doggie sunglasses, each in a different colour so you can coordinate your looks perfectly.

When Do Dogs Need Doggles (Dog Goggles)?

Yes, we have already established that dogs wearing shades is a very cute sight to behold, but do dogs actually need them?

Let’s consider each of the reasons pet parents choose to try sunglasses for their dogs. Are the shades really necessary and are they the best possible solution?

UV Protection

When we buy sunglasses for ourselves, it’s mostly to protect our eyes from the damage that UVA and UVB rays can cause. Do dogs need the same level of protection? Arguably, most dogs have survived thus far without sunnies. However, we know that many dogs have problems with eyesight in old age. Could that be prevented with shades?

Well, opinions are split on this. For example, one of the biggest issues in humans that are caused by excessive exposure of eyes to UV light are cataracts. However, while dogs do get cataracts, most veterinarians agree it’s usually due to heredity or other reasons, not UV light exposure (1).

In general, dogs tend to be fine with the normal levels of UV light. Here is the reasoning of one vet:

In conclusion, most healthy canines do not need sunglasses. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t cases where the use of sunglasses can be really helpful!

Dog Breeds With Sensitive Eyes

There is one very basic thing the eyes of some dogs are more at risk than others: Some dogs simply have more prominent eyes. We mean, their eyes tend to be placed more outwards, and are not protected by brows like most other breeds. Just think of Pugs. Most other brachycephalic breeds also fall into this category. Coincidentally, they are also small so there is more risk of getting debris into their eyes. In these cases, goggles can help. Not necessarily as protection from the sun, but as protection from all the elements for the sensitive eyes.

In addition, our team of independent experts share that some dogs also suffer from chronic inflammation of the cornea - also called pannus. For such dogs, reducing exposure to the sun with shades can sometimes help ease the discomfort.

Protection After Surgery or Injury

Another case when goggles are needed is when your dog has had something done on their eyes. Whether it was an injury or any kind of trauma, or perhaps your canine companion had surgery of some kind in the eye area, protection is of utmost importance.

When there is any kind of irritation in the eye, many dogs will quickly start scratching which can cause more harm than good. The traditional cure for this problem is the “cone of shame”, the Elizabethan collar, but doggles can actually be a much nicer solution when it’s eyes you are trying to protect.

Iris Atrophy

One of the most common eye problems that dogs of all breeds face as they age is iris atrophy. This basically means degeneration of the coloured part of the eye (3). There can be many causes, but often it’s just old age. It is impossible to cure this illness, but doggles can help slow its progression.

Features I Look For In Dog Goggles

As we have seen, doggles are more than just fashion. In some cases, they can be of great help. But how should one choose which pet goggles to buy? Here is what our panel of independent experts suggest you to consider:

Protection

The number one thing we want goggles to do is protect the eyes. When looking for goggles for your dog, you have to keep in mind why you are buying them. If your dog has iris atrophy and is therefore very sensitive to light, then the key point will be looking for goggles that are dark enough (and perhaps polarized).

However, if your main concern is protecting your dog’s eyes from debris - whether on walks or on car or motorcycle rides - then the colour of the lens is not the main concern. Rather, you’ll want to look for goggles that will envelop the eye area as completely as possible while still being comfortable.

Comfort

That brings us to the second important feature for any kind of dog eye protection - comfort. If the goggles are not comfortable, you will have a really hard time getting the dog to accept wearing them. And besides, would you want to cause pain to your pooch? Probably not.

In order to be comfortable, dog goggles need to have soft padding around the lenses and a fairly deep lens cup. Moreover, it helps if the frame is flexible so it can adapt to your dog’s head shape.

Safety

If doggles don’t stay firmly in place, they will definitely not be safe. If the shades can move around they can also hurt your dog’s eyes. That’s why it’s important to look for doggles that have good adjustable straps to keep them on the dog’s head, where they should be.

This is usually achieved by using two elastic straps. The first one wraps around the head (under the ears) while the second one goes under the chin, enveloping the back of the jaw, thus keeping the doggles from falling off with movement.

My Final Verdict

Which are the best doggles? The main issue with choosing dog shades is finding a shape that will fit your dog, so that should be your main concern. That being said, our team of independent experts found that the QUMY Dog Goggles are pretty universal and will fit most small to medium-sized dogs (albeit not toy breeds).

On the other hand, we also agree that the Namsan Dog Goggles tend to work great for larger breeds like Huskies and German Shepherds.

References

1. PetMD Editorial. August 29, 2017. “Eye Protection for Dogs: Is It Necessary?”. PetMD. Retrieved September 28, 2021. https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/eye-protection-dogs-it-necessary
2. Kolker, J. Jul 9, 2014. “Do Dogs Need Sunglasses?”. Outside. Retrieved September 28, 2021. https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/do-dogs-need-sunglasses/
3. PetMD Editorial. April 27, 2010. “Degeneration of the Iris in the Eye in Dogs”. PetMD. Retrieved September 28, 2021. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/eyes/c_dg_iris_atrophy