Dogs And Television

Our domestic pets are used to the television on when they live with us. While we might think they are indifferent to what happens on the small screen, the reality is that this is not exactly the case. In their way, they pay attention to the content of the programs. Let’s look at the relationship between dogs and television.

It is more than studied that dogs can recognize other animals of their species on television. They have developed their sense of smell a lot and, of course, find it strange that these images do not convey any smell. But these images also catch their attention, and even more if these animals, protagonists of the programs, bark.

Other animals, other species on television

But this is not just the case with animals of their own species. Our pets will also be on the lookout for other animals of other species. In this sense, in some countries, there are already specific programs for dogs, where they can see the “actors” protagonists of their favorite programs in different exercises and activities.

We’ve heard more than once that dogs only see in black and white, but it seems that this is not the case. The truth is, dogs also appreciate the reality that surrounds them in color, though not quite like us humans. The chromatic range of dogs is smaller.

Some studies have come to the conclusion that we have 3 primary colors, red, blue and green, while our canine friends only have two, yellow and blue.

Thus, if our dog sees another dog on television, among people or in film plans, series, etc., the truth is that he will know how to identify the other animal visually. If the protagonist barks or makes any other type of sound, our pet will be alert.

Perception of television images

However, dogs’ eyes can capture the images they see much faster than we can, so they are more interested in modern programs, which emit a higher number of frames per second.

It also influences the breed of the dog, including its personality. As an example, the Sabujo breed dogs are much more interested in the aroma than the image, so they will “enjoy” much less than what appears on the screen. Terriers, on the other hand, react more naturally to the images that appear in their favorite shows.

In addition to the image, the rhythms and sounds, including the themes that arise from television programs, can make our pet pay more or less attention.

TV shows for dogs

The DogTV network is known for broadcasting programs specifically for dogs, with images that were created with the purpose of capturing the attention of our friends, and without advertising, of course. In this way, when dogs spend a lot of time alone at home, they have an excellent means of entertainment.

These programs not only rely on the emission of attractive images for dogs, but also influence many other factors, an analysis of psychology and sensory perception. From color games to sounds, everything was planned during the development of these programs.

Generally, 3 types of programs can be differentiated, those that relax our friends, those that are stimulating for them and those that simply expose curious images.

Some dog caregivers use the television to entertain their “clients” by installing the device at the height of the animals, and they have achieved some very successful results in distracting the dogs.

feeling of movement

In a more technical aspect, we can say that the human eye perceives the monitor flicker with a frequency lower than 55Hz, whereas the dogs, at a higher frequency, of 75Hz. That’s why when they watch television, the screen actually flickers for them more continuously, so dogs usually don’t usually perceive the sensation of movement on the screen the way we do. However, despite this, a still image, for a dog or other animal, will capture the attention of the spectator dog.

However, most television sets are designed for the eyes of humans, so it is not comfortable for dogs to look at them, and it is difficult for their attention to focus. But if the angle of the screen is up to your eyes and the images show other dogs, birds, etc., the dog will almost certainly pay attention to them.