Why Do Dogs Stick Their Heads Out Of Car Windows?

By | May 14, 2016

When you see a doggie peeping his head out of the car window the very first thought that crosses your mind is the longingness for the carefree attitude of the tyke. You see his long hair blowing in the breeze along with the rush of air in the face and wonder how great he is feeling enjoying the car ride. That is exactly what the doggie is thinking when he peeps his head out of the car window.

Dog's On Joyrides with Head Out of The Car Window

Dog’s Head Out the Car Window

So, why do dogs conduct this behavior? One possible reason is that they enjoy the cold breeze on their face, but that is not the only reason. Just like kids, dogs are enthusiastic during car travels as they find it new and fun. When you take them on a car ride they feel excited to go with you (their favorite person) and the additional motivation is that they will get the chance to stick their head out of the car window which is a sort of icing on the cake for them.

When your pooch puts his head out of the car window, he is probably enjoying the joyride more than you can ever imagine. Let us look at some of the motivational factors that drive dogs to peep their heads out of the car window:

To Look At The Scenic Beauty In the World Around

Imagine you have been conditioned to spend most of your time indoors and do not move outside often and then suddenly the floodgates open and you are given a chance to explore the scenic beauty in the world around. How will you feel? Amazing, isn’t it? The same way doggies spend most of their time indoors and so when you take them on a car ride regardless of the destination the level of excitement of seeing new things is very high in our canine companions.

It is the same level of excitement we get when visiting a carnival. Remember, dogs find the smell and sounds around very stimulating and when the atmosphere is so exciting and memorable isn’t it fair to give them a benefit of doubt to peep their heads out of the car window?

Enjoying The Smells

Dogs are great sniffers and so obviously they will get excited when they feel different odors with their awesome nose. They have amazing ability to keep their odor detection and pheromone molecule analysis distinct. Their vomeronasal organ has its own set of nerves dedicated to the dog’s brain to interpret the pheromone signals. So just imagine the extent of information processed by dogs when they peep their head out of the car window. More the car speed the more dogs can pick from the outside world.

But allowing your pooch to peep his head out of the car window can also lead to hidden dangers.

  • Susceptibility of getting hit by rocks or dust due to car speed. If any of the debris hit your pooch in the eye it can cause fatal injury

  • Development of ear infections as a result of wind particles or wind directly blowing in his ears

  • The constant flipping of dog ears can result in swelling in ear flaps and repeated trauma can cause scar tissue to form inside the soft tissue of the ears. This trauma can cause permanent damage and leave the dog with lifelong ear problems. So, you shall take care of your dog’s eyes and ears with extra care and authentic treatment.

  • If your dog sees another dog or squirrel on the road, he would attempt to jump out of the car window resulting in serious injuries. Hence, it is recommended to never roll the car window all the way down or restrain your buddy by crating him when driving at the car speed of more than 25 mph.

So, the next time you take your pooch in the car will you allow him to peep his head out of the car window? Please post your answers in the comments section. Till then, keep reading our blogs!!