DOG IS MY COPILOT: HEARING PROTECTION FOR THE FURRY ONE

If you've ever flown with your dog, you may have worried about damage to the animal's hearing. Michele McGuire of Westminster, Maryland, says she has a solution: Mutt Muffs. Think of the product as a headset for your dog, minus the intercom capability, of course. The ear cups, which come in several sizes, fit over the ears and are held in place with a chin strap. The product sells for $52. McGuire says she has tried to have the product tested at independent labs, but researchers have no way to gather data from the dogs. The product is made from regular headset materials, and she recently told The Frederick News-Post that the muffs reduce noise by an estimated 21 to 24 decibels. Coupled with that is her anecdotal experience with her own dog, a much happier copilot these days.