Dogs have a love-hate relationship with cars.

Some are excited to be going out somewhere in a moving vehicle rather than just another stroll around the same old streets.  Others resent the intrusion into their practised walk routine of jumping at whatever they see and sniffing things that, to be honest, no one should ever sniff.

When I first collected the hound from a rescue centre in the midlands, she thanked me for my generous offering of a home and lifetime of service by vomiting all over the back seat. This was not a good start. 

It brought back memories of a first date of an ultimately failed relationship when both me and my ex developed food poisoning from a dodgy artichoke.  We should have heeded the omens.

To be fair the hound’s emetic tendencies have moderated. 

Now when she wants to be sick she calmly asks to go out, sits in the middle of the lawn for a few minutes as if she is contemplating the meaning of life, or considering writing a new collection of poetry, and then regurgitates a copious amount of what looks suspiciously like creamed spinach.

I feel repulsed and resolve to hose her down with Dettol; she feels fine, curls up on what she still considers to be “her” sofa and life goes on.

Now she is pretty good in the car.  She looks out of the window for a bit, then settles down on her bed.  She ignores the traffic, the road rage and the general chaos that surrounds us, occasionally looks over to see if anyone has joined us, expresses disappointment when she realises they haven’t, and lies down again. 

We arrive at our destination with her calm and rested and me stressed and determined to take the train next time.

And why do dogs chase cars?  I understand they don’t have a great understanding of danger, but they must see this is a battle they simply, and inevitably, cannot win.  But their prey drive kicks in and they seem convinced that this time, for the first time, they will not only catch the car at 40mph but in fact capture it. 

To what purpose I am not quite sure.  Perhaps they are checking for creamed spinach.