Dogs are thee most amazing creatures that walk on earth. Do not fight me on this. Everything they do is spectacular, starting from the moment they are born to the day that they (unfortunately) are no longer with us. One of these breathtaking features is when they stick their heads out of the windows when driving around. While my dog gets WAY too excited when I say, “wanna go for a ride!?”, it’s only fair to say that I get just as excited when I see him plop his head out the window and beam with happiness.

Why?
One of the main reasons why dogs sticking their head out of the window is so common is because of sense of smell. As most people already know, dogs senses are miraculously better than humans to begin with. Their noses, in particular, are crazy. As Soniak describes as an “all-you-can-smell scent buffet”, dogs olfactory membrane have the power to pick up on the tiniest scents possible. With their receptors being so powerful and sensitive, alongside of the wind picking up scents on top of that, dogs practically have the ability to smell a hotdog from a mile away. Impressive, right? Also, the scenery is very refreshing, especially if your pup doesn’t get out much. Going on rides finally presents them with the opportunity to “explore” the unknown (Dr. Kelly Moffat) and expand their visual curiosity.

Pros:
I honestly cannot prove that there is scientific research supporting this claim, but one pro of dogs sticking their heads out of the window is that it is SO precious. Have you ever actually looked at your dog when they’ve done it? They automatically gain the biggest smile ever (or is it the wind pushing their face back? Hmm..) and you can just tell that they truly appreciate their life and everything at that exact moment. Dogs become so happy and that alone should be worth your wild. Don’t fight the sensation, accept it.

Cons:
Unfortunately, where there is beauty, there is said to be pain. In this scenario, lots of pain. Dogs sticking their heads out of moving vehicles is extremely dangerous. To begin, there is risk of objects flying into their face and damaging their eyes. Dr. Mike Paul goes into depth about how dogs corneas are more prone to lifelong damage than humans. For instance, if a pebble or piece of gravel was to fly into a dogs eye, it would be nearly impossible to fully repair their sight. Yikes.
Also, there is always risk of dogs jumping out of the car and hurting themselves. In personal experience, my dog was in the back of my dads truck and jumped out of the trunk, leaving his butt scratched and bruise. He could hardly walk for a few hours, and this was only going 5 mph into my driveway. Imagine the damage that could’ve been done if we were on the highway, or in this case even a 25 mph road. Nobody wants to see an injured puppy. Aside from running the risk of jumping out of the moving vehicle, picture how many times one slams on their breaks while driving? This sudden jerk of motion is sure to bring harms way to not only you, but more importantly your dog. We don’t want that.
Finally, the air coming from the motion of the car can severely impact dogs hearing. Dogs ears are naturally sensitive, so any added pressure can cause them to become deaf. Dr. William E. Monroe elaborates this subject more in the nature of sensory nerves.

Conclusion:
It comes with no doubt that there are more arguments against than arguments for having dogs stick their heads out of the window. Nevertheless, dogs are the most beautiful animals alive-let’s give them the respect they deserve. These alluring pups only live for so long, so might as well let them enjoy life while they’re still here. Regardless, it is still essential to stay cautious! Flop on.

Picture Sources:
Top two- my pictures
Slow-mo Pup
Flop