Made in the Shade

A simple solution for keeping dogs comfortable while traveling

If you do much traveling with your dog or dogs, here's a good idea to help them be more comfortable.

I find that when I'm traveling with my dogs, the thing they like the least about it is having the sun shining down on them. They get hot and start to pant and pant, and get all antsy, moving around to try to find some shade.

So I devised a doggie canopy or shade for my car.

I got one of those pliable, lightweight windshield shades -- the kind that folds down into a small circle. I use some clothesline cord or something similar, and I thread it back and forth a few times between the head rests in the front seat and the buttons above the back seat that allow the seat to fold down. You can usually find some kind of pegs or buttons or use the head rests to wrap the cord around from front to back.

The window shade then just rests on top of the "webbing" that I just created. The webbing doesn't have to be overly tight or strong because the window shade is very lightweight.

This blocks the sun from the dogs, and they sleep a lot better that way. It also keeps them from looking out the window all the time, watching the cars whiz by and wondering, "Are we there yet?" It seems to keep them calmer.

It's very quick and easy to put together, and it's definitely inexpensive. After the trip, it takes just a minute to take it down and put away.

It's been an excellent solution for my dogs. They love to travel with me, and I love having them along.

This is just one of the ways I try to make traveling a little more comfortable for them.