Dog's Head out the Car Window: A Dangerous Habit

 

Dog's Head out the Car Window: A Dangerous Habit

For most pups, the best part of a car ride is feeling the
breeze in their furry faces as they stick their head out
the window. Despite the feel good nature of this
pleasurable experience, it's actually a very dangerous
habit.

In the early days of automobiles, most cars did not have
windshields and their top speed was approximately 45 mph.
Given those conditions, drivers wore goggles to protect
their eyes. Now that we have windshields to protect us,
you wouldn't consider sticking your unprotected head out
the window at 45 mph. Then why let your dog?

Allowing your dog to let it stick its head out the window
is a very dangerous habit. Their eyes are exposed to dirt,
rocks, dust and other debris. These materials can easily
puncture and scratch your dog's eyes. A line of pet
goggles have come out which are to help prevent these types
of injuries. However, even if you can train your dog not
to paw them off their heads, there are still many other
dangers when your dog's head is out the window while
driving.

Damage to the ears is another big concern. When the dog's
ears flap in the wind, their soft earflaps (pinnae) can
easily become irritated, swell and become very tender. The
constant and rapid flapping of the pinnae against your
dog's head from high-speed winds causes trauma to the ear
and results in swelling. Repeated trauma such as this can
cause lifelong problems for your pup.

Allowing your dog to stick its head out the window can also
lead to more severe outcomes, such as falling out of the
car or getting their head stuck in the window opening.
Taking a turn a bit too fast, traveling over bumpy terrain
or an overly excited pup can cause your dog to lose balance
and easily fall out of the window. These types of incidents
occur more frequently than one might imagine and can cause
severe injury or death to dogs.

It should go without saying; but another very dangerous
idea is to allow your dog to ride in the bed of a pickup
truck. All of the dangers of sticking its head out the
window from inside the car are increased, since the bed of
a pickup offers little or no protection from wind, debris,
or falls. In addition, a pickup's metal bed can reach
dangerously high temperatures on hot days, which can cause
damage to the soft tissue on a dog's paws.

The best place for your dog to ride is in the back seat or
cargo area of your vehicle, properly restrained of course.
Utilizing a pet safety belt, car seat, vehicle pet barrier,
or a travel crate is the best ways to ensure that your
pup's travels are happy and safe. Sure, crack the window,
but no heads out!

About the Author:

Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of
TRIPSwithPETS.com. She founded the pet travel site in 2003
and is an expert in the field of pet travel. Kim is a
veteran of the travel industry - formerly serving as
Director of Internet Marketing for Certified Vacations. Her
mission is to ensure that pets are welcome, happy,and safe
in their travels. Visit her company website at
http://www.tripswithpets.com

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