Cars have windshields for a reason – there is a lot of dust and dirt and debris … bugs and birds and blossoms (ok, it was a stretch for that last B – how about pebbles instead) – all of these things are bad for eyes, ears and noses that are exposed to them. In addition to the flying danger, the flapping motion of their ears in the wind can cause damage to the ears and the pinnae (the part of the outer ear that you see that is made up of cartilage and covered by skin, fur or hair). There are additional physical dangers of the window going up by accident and harming your pooch, a sudden movement of your vehicle from road or driver hazards, or that one unicorn of a squirrel that entices even the best-behaved dog to jump out of the vehicle. This, unfortunately, happens more often than you think.
Avoid all of these hazards and the heartbreak that can come with them by opening the window just a bit so that they can sniff to their heart’s content and be completely safe.
We also strongly recommend that you secure your dog in the car in case of sudden movements and to keep them from lowering the window themselves (child locks should be used when available).
If your dog absolutely must be in the back of your pickup, please, please secure them in a solid-sided crate that is attached to the bed of the truck to prevent all of the types of injuries above.