Ever wondered why dogs love cars? It is something we have been attempting to find out for decades, but now it seems some researchers have unlocked all the secrets. The reason researchers came up with is pretty convincing from our point of view.
Here's the thing, we as humans have 5 million olfactory receptors in our nostrils to help with smell. A dog can have up to 300 million, according to PBS. This means when they push their heads outside of a carry window during a drive, they are inhaling everything.
"I'm not sure they're getting a high, per se," says Dr. Melissa Bain, a veterinarian at the University of California, Davis, who researches animal behavior and welfare to Car And Driver. "But they are getting a lot of input at higher speed."
It is possible this activity could be similar to taking drugs, but researchers are not sure. Furthermore, not every dog loves to ride in a car with their heads out the window. If a dog doesn't like do it, do not force it just because you want to look cool in front of friends and family.
Dr. Bain suggest giving dogs an anti-nausea drug made for dogs before attempting a long trip. Bear in mind that these drugs may have a tranquillizing effect. Also, we should point out that dogs are safest in a carrier or if they are belted in.
Seeing as dogs have eyes and things can go into dogs' eyes, we recommend getting your best friend a pair of goggles to protect his or her eyes from any type of debris that might be flowing with the win.
It's all about keeping the dogs safe because they enjoy driving with us. Chances are, if the dog was in the seat of a self-driving car, we can't be certain if they would have the same reaction when compared to having a human in the driving seat.
It is clear that dogs are awesome creatures that deserve our love and respect, because they always show us love and respect no matter what. Give dogs a choice to choose between humans or other dogs, and they will likely choose humans all the time.