Why do dogs stick their head out the window?

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📓 The short answer

Dogs may be sticking their head out the window in order to capture all the smells, get a sense for their surroundings, and simply because they may enjoy the sensory overload of it all.

📚 The long answer

Is it the wind in their fur? The thrill of moving at top speeds? Or perhaps it's the feeling of their cheeks rapidly flapping.

While research is limited (and dogs don't make the best interviewees), we have solid theories on why they stick their heads out car windows.

Little dog with its head out of a window looking very pleased — "Dogs love the Refuge too!" by USFWS Mountain-Prairie is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Here are the top three reasons that dogs stick their head out the window:

Reason #1: Dogs enjoy smelling all the smells.

Dogs are much better smellers than us.

They have 300 million smell receptors (50x more than humans), and the brain region responsible for processing smells is 40x larger than ours.

Dogs even have a labyrinth-like passage in their nose that greatly increases the surface area for capturing odors. And when they exhale, the air exits through slits on the side of their nose, creating currents that bring in new smells.

A diagram showing a dog skeleton with a zoomed in section showing the specialized olfactory section of a dog's nose — Source: ScienceABC (Photo Credit : Pixabay & Shutterstock)

When a dog puts its snout out the car window, air rushes through this passage, picking up intriguing scents. It's possible that the air being forced into the dog's nose may intensify the odors.

Compared to the familiar, boring air inside the car, the outside smells are probably far more exciting for a dog.

Reason #2: Dogs are curious about their surroundings.

Dogs are naturally curious creatures, so they might stick their heads out of windows to adapt to a different environment. In other words, they may be trying to understand where they are or where they're being taken.

Dogs can recognize familiar locations using only their sense of smell. Your pooch might be trying to suss out whether they're headed to the vet or the dog park.

Reason #3: Dogs enjoy the sensory overload.

Again we can't seem to nail down a solid interview with a dog to confirm if they simply enjoy sticking their heads out of windows. But based on how relaxed and happy they seem, it's reasonable to theorize that they like the sensation of all the smells, sights, and wind.

white dog with its head out of a car window, looking happy and relaxed — "dog in window" by waferboard is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Just as we feel good getting outside after being indoors all day, dogs likely enjoy the novelty and stimulation of sticking their heads out of a car window.

🐕 A quick doggy PSA

Is it safe to let dogs to stick their head out a car window?

Unfortunately there are actually a lot of risks associated with letting your dog hang outside of your car window. Veterinarians warn of the dangers that this poses for your dogs, including:

Road debris and dust getting in their eyes and ears, causing infections and/or scratches
Ear damage caused by the loud wind noise
Your dog jumping out of the car into moving traffic
Your dog getting injured if you have to make a sudden stop or turn while driving

Veterinarians recommend using a crate or harness to keep your dog secured, while cracking the window open so they can still enjoy the plethora of smells from the outside.

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All my best,

Caitlin

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📖 Book of the week

Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat by Perumal Murugan

In this touching and emotional story, you explore the world through the eyes of a small black goat named Poonachi. The book highlights the challenges Poonachi faces as she navigates through life, and the joy she brings to the people around her. If you love goats as much as I do, you will enjoy this sweet book.

Check out the full list of books I've recommended here.