Dogs in cars

[BigDogsWang]

I always laugh my socks off when I see cars driving down the road with dogs hanging their heads out of the window. They appear to be loving the wind in their faces.

Does anyone know why they do it? Are dogs just free spirits?

[robotics]

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out of the window?

[The Big Gill]

Don't know - I was wondering the other day about the difference between cats & dogs in cars. Dogs love it, cats hate it. Started thinking about it when I spotted a little terrier sitting on the lap of the front passenger, front paws on the dashboard, eyes on the road. Having said that, I did once see a cat sitting on the dashboard of a white van.

[annavc]

I saw a German Shepherd sitting in a trailer being pulled by a motorbike down the M3 at about 60 miles an hour the other day. He was safely strapped in a harness and he looked like he was having the time of his life! It was very funny.

[BigDogsWang]

I've just had a thought:

As dogs have a very sensitive sense of smell, and they seem to get a lot of information from sniffing around, I wonder if by travelling fast with their noses out of the window, they are getting off on the the stinks being rammed up their nostrils at high speeds.

Anyone confirm this?

I am hoping it's just because they love it though.

Imagine if dogs drove cars.....

[lankeela]

It is actually very dangerous and a stupid thing to allow your dog to have his head out of the window. They can get severe eye problems because foreign objects can get into the eye, and they can get runny eyes through the draft that is created.

It may look funny, but it is not to the dog when he has to be taken to the vet for treatment that may not work.

It is also possible that in the event of the driver braking
suddenly the dog could be seriously injured.

[ytrewq]

Pets at Home actually sell doggy goggles to protect dogs eyes!

[jedimistress]

I saw a dog on a motorbike once, complete with goggles. I also saw the fuzz pull the man over, then later saew him pushing his bike up the road, dog in arms. Bah humbug.

I heard the one about dogs getting bits in their eyes, but I don't seem the harm in it, they love it.

[The Big Gill]

I think it's got something to do with the way dogs pant as a way of cooling themselves down.

[claguey]

I had a terrier who when he travelled in the horsebox with us didn't want to put his head out of the window but instead stuck his nose on the air vents and sniffed! He would get excited when we reached show grounds or places he knew just by the smell from the air vents - never bothered to look where we were going!