Liz Hughes from the UK suggests that a dog's upbringing might be the reason they do not look up when a low-flying plane or helicopter passes overhead. Hughes references the work of David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel regarding the development of the visual cortex in animals.
Hubel and Wiesel's research on kittens showed that removing specific visual cues during the period when an animal's brain is wiring its visual pathways can prevent the animal from seeing those things once development is complete. For example, kittens raised in a box with only horizontal striped lines were unable to see vertical objects, such as chair legs, in a normal environment.
Hughes believes that if a dog is not raised in an environment containing objects at different heights, its brain might potentially never be able to recognize an aircraft overhead. She also notes that because of the "cacophony of other motorised and industrial sounds" in the modern world, an airplane would likely blend into the background.
Peter Seligman from Australia shared a different observation, noting he had a kitten that "leapt up at a jumbo jet" but missed. He also stated he has seen a cat catch a bird in mid-flight, noting the cat "began its leap in anticipation of the bird's position."
