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.

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.

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.

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.

Check out some other curious questions:

Sources

Finer, A. (2024, May 17). The Real Reason Why Dogs Stick Their Heads Out of Car Windows. Reader’s Digest Canada. https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/pets/why-do-dogs-put-their-head-out-window/

Layton, J. (2016, January 27). Why Do Dogs Stick Their Head Out The Car Window? (It’s Not Just The Breeze.). The Dodo. https://www.thedodo.com/dogs-car-window-1573196555.html

Ormond, C. (2022, November 29). Don’t let your dog hang their head out the car window. Here’s why. Fetch. https://www.fetchpet.com/the-dig/unsafe-for-dogs-hang-out-car-windows

Pilcher, H. (2024, March 17). The (very cute) reason dogs love sticking their heads out of car windows. BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/dog-car-window

Royal, S. (2018, August 17). Why do dogs stick their heads out car windows?. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-18/why-do-dogs-stick-their-head-out-car-windows/10133502

Udaipurwala, S. (2021, March 20). Why Do Dogs Like Sticking Their Heads Out Of Car Windows?. ScienceABC. https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/animals/why-do-dogs-like-sticking-their-heads-out-of-car-windows.html