Shelter Dogs Taught How To Drive

You know the old saying: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that one’s out the window. Meet the driving dogs of New Zealand. These former shelter dogs were taught who to drive a car. So forget about being happy with just being able to teach your dog to sit – these canine cruisers have just raised the bar.

In order to prove that rescue dogs are smart and adoptable, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Auckland decided to teach a few dogs to drive an automobile. And the campaign is working – people are calling the SPCA to adopt these driving dogs.

With the help of some treats, a team of trainers – led by animal psychologist Mark Vette – turned three shelter dogs into road ready ruffers. The video featured below highlights dogs Porter, Ginny and Monty, and the challenges that come along with this extreme training.

The car driven, a MINI Countryman car, was donated by Mini and modified by Ikon Engineering to allow the dogs to reach the pedals. There are a few extra dog-friendly modifications as well – special handles were installed on the steering wheel to accommodate paws.

Watch the video and prepare to be amazed!