Driving Miss Doggie. Can Dogs Really Learn To Drive?

Trainers in Auckland, New Zealand believe it can be done. Their canine driving candidates have been training on simulators learning not just how to drive but with stick shift! The trainees are three  dogs rescued from a shelter.

As reported on CNN (click here to see the video), their trainers from the SPCA used a series of instinctive behaviors to teach Monty, Ginny and Porter to operate the vehicle.

"In this case we've got ten behaviors we're all putting together, so each behavior is a trained behavior, and then you put them into a sequence," explained trainer Mark Vette. "So it's a lot to do, and for the dog to actually start to get an idea of what actually is happening takes quite a long time."

The dogs will get two months of training with help from handlers, and then try their skills on their own on a closed test track.  Hey, get your head out of the window and keep your eyes on the road!