Dogs learn to drive a Mini Cooper (video)

3/11/2013 10:12pm by 5

Here’s the backstory on how and why the SPCA in Australia taught some dogs to drive a Mini Cooper:

Following a month-long campaign to highlight the intelligence of rescue dogs to drive adoptions, our New Zealand office working with SPCA and MINI have proven that you most definitely can teach dogs new tricks. On live television December 10, Porter, a 10-month-old Beardie Cross, and Monty, a giant Schnauzer Cross, both drove a MINI Countryman down a racetrack and turned the corner to the delight of the trainers who had spent eight weeks teaching the dogs to drive. Indeed, this fascinating video says it all in a way words just can’t describe.

Print FriendlyPrint
Tags: , , ,


@aravosis | Facebook | Google+. Editor of AMERICAblog, joint JD/MSFS from Georgetown, worked in the US Senate, World Bank, Children's Defense Fund, and as a stringer for the Economist. A frequent TV pundit, he has been on The O'Reilly Factor, Hardball, World News Tonight, Nightline & Reliable Sources. Full bio and .

Share This Post
  • http://twitter.com/burgess2 Chris Burgess (Mr)

    No. Its not Australia as you say in the main link. Its New Zealand. They like sheep. :)

  • melbach007

    Hard part is driving with your head out the window.

  • S1AMER

    Clever attention-getting stunt. Let’s hope it helps find homes for shelter animals in New Zealand!

  • pricknick

    They’ve been playing poker all along.

  • UncleBucky

    This is fascinating. But we should put this into context that both humans and dogs walk. Humans can walk on four, then two, then three (the classic riddle of the Sphinx) and then with a Scooter. And dogs walk on four and they can walk on two (with a cart in front or back). Further, we have conducted experiments with those who are both disabled and not disabled to control a hand or other thing with bioelectric signals from the brain.

    In each case, different animals can achieve mobility using a variety of limbs and tools. It’s not that much a stretch to adapt limbs to other tools such as driving. Humans have done that with horses, then horses and carts, then chariots and horses and finally horseless carriages. Humans have also adapted the tiller to the steering wheel to the joystick. And in most cases, the adaptation from one mode to another is first herky jerky and then later smoother to the point it’s like buttah!

    Hence, while it’s fascinating to see dogs finally drive, defeating all those paintings and faked photos and dogs in cars with remote drivers. But I am not surprised that they can do it.

    And now for a poem:

    Guide Cats for the Blind – Les Barker

© 2013 AMERICAblog. All rights reserved. · Entries RSS