When I think of what happiness looks like, I think about a dog riding in a car with his head out the window. Would you agree?
Few dogs, it seems can resist the feel of the breeze running through their fur. Guessing from their wind-swept grins, they thoroughly enjoy it!
Why Do Dogs Love To Ride With Their Heads Out The Window?
Why do they enjoy it so much? Is it the breeze, the fresh air, or could it be something more than that?
Thanks to researchers and animal behaviorists we know a lot about canine behaviors. Behaviors like butt-sniffing, leg kicking during a particularly epic belly rub, to name a couple. But, we really don’t know much about why they love to ride with their hair, umm, I mean fur in the breeze.
We do know that it is not just because Chico — sorry, couldn’t resist the reference, Chico is as common a name in the Chihuahua world as Spot or Fido is in other dog breeds — is glad to be out of the house.
The Olfactory Factor
What we do know is that hanging their heads out the window provides olfactory enrichment and stimulation that dogs will seek out. That’s according to Natalie Zielinski, director of behavior services at the Wisconsin Humane Society.
Their sense of smell is so far superior to ours, it continues to amaze me every single day! Their noses are equipped with a complex maze of 300 million scent receptors. In comparison, we have a piddly 5 million scent receptors.
Aren’t Chihuahua noses adorable? But, that’s not all they’re good for! They have two air passages, one for breathing and one that is dedicated to smell! But wait! That’s not all! The part of the brain that is responsible for processing smells is 40 times larger than it is for a human.
Like Being At An Amusement Park
When your Chihuahua sticks his head out of an open car window they can smell every person in the street. Every trash can they go by, every patch of grass and who has, “wee-wee’d in that patch of grass. They smell every restaurant and other dogs.
Even though odors are probably the main attraction, don’t underestimate their other senses. Sight is actually a dog’s primary source of information. An open window is much more interesting than lying down in the backseat.
When hanging out the window the sights and smells are constantly changing, kind of like watching TV. However, unlike watching TV, they also get to enjoy the sensation of the air blowing in their face, which, I’m sure just feels good.
Dogs Are Not Painted From The Same Brush
But we can’t just assume the sights and smells that your Chihuahua loves about hanging their head out the window is the only reasons. Just like people, no two dogs are exactly alike.
Some dogs love the excitement of adventure — my Remedy — others are just happy to sit next to their favorite human — my Pebbles. Some may do it because they are trying to anticipate what’s next — the dog park, pet store, or the dreaded veterinarian’s office.
Some like excitement and freedom a little too much and an open window may seem to them their access to the freedom to explore. Anytime most dogs are confined, they look for an opening or an exit.
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