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Almost nothing is better than curling up on your couch at the end of a long day and watching TV cuddled up with your dog. Undoubtedly, you’ve observed your dog doing that adorable head tilt in response to something that you’re watching, but have you ever wondered what they enjoy most when watching TV?
The answer depends on the dog since they are all unique. However, generally speaking, dogs enjoy watching other dogs in action and are attracted to certain sounds.
Let’s look at how dogs see things, which impacts their TV viewing pleasure, and provide details about an experiment that you can try that can help you determine what entertains your dog the most.
Dog’s Sight Facts
A dog’s vision is quite different from our own. How they see color, night vision, motion perception, and vision sharpness all differ from ours.
Different Color Perception
Humans have three color-processing cells called cones, which make us trichromatic. The cones are what allow us to see all the colors and variations. Dogs have two cones in their retinas, making them dichromatic, which means they don’t see the same array of colors as we do.
Canines can see yellow and blue and their varying shades but can’t see greens and reds. Therefore, watching a scene with plenty of reds and greens will look dull for our dogs.
Less Sharp Vision
We have another visual advantage over dogs, which is the sharpness of our vision (even though many of us need to wear contacts and glasses!).
Generally speaking, dogs have 20/75 vision compared to our 20/20. This helps explain why your dog likely sits in front of the TV, which helps them see it more clearly. While we can sit about 6 feet away from the TV, dogs need to sit more like 2 feet from it.
Better Night Vision
Where humans have more cones for better color perception in our eyes, dogs have more rods, which helps them see in the dark better than us, and they have better motion perception.
Better Motion Perception
Dogs also have better motion perception compared to humans. This 2013 study found that canines process their visual information faster than us. For example, when we watch a bird fly, dogs see the same bird, but it looks like it’s flying slower than what we perceive. Canines can essentially pick up on rapid changes in their visual field.
Frequent Asked Questions
What Do Dogs Like to Watch on TV?
A 2013 study discovered that canines were able to identify that they were watching a dog on a computer screen. The researchers also found that not only do dogs recognize other dogs, but it also doesn’t matter what the breed is. It’s believed that canines prefer watching animals in motion and watching real animals over cartoons. They also enjoy watching animals that would be natural prey, such as rabbits and squirrels, and are drawn to the TV when they hear high-pitched sounds.
Basically, many wildlife shows and shows with animals in general will be a big draw for your dog. You can also try shows with landscapes, slow-motion animals, and peaceful music (classical music is a good option), all of which tend to relax dogs.
Do Dogs Think That What They See on TV Is Real?
Dogs know that what is on TV is not real mainly because they rely quite heavily on their senses. Since TV doesn’t enable dogs to smell anything, and this sense is arguably one of their most important, they quite likely don’t think that the images are real.
But you’ll likely see your dog interacting with what is happening on the screen at times, such as barking or even howling. Since they can’t smell what’s on the screen, though, some dog breeds that rely more heavily on their sense of smell, like Bloodhounds, might not show as much interest in the TV.
Does Leaving the TV on When You’re Away Help Your Dog?
If the TV is on most of the time, they can become desensitized to it. Also, dogs should not have to rely on watching TV as a form of entertainment and distraction. They need interactions with you and other dogs (though not all breeds) to get their exercise and bonding time in.
Many dogs might be watching television because they enjoy spending time with you. But there’s no harm in leaving the TV on when you’re out, as it’s thought that its sounds might help keep your dog company.
Just as long as you don’t use the TV to essentially babysit your dog and you keep the volume on low, it might help them if they have separation anxiety.
How to Figure Out What Your Dog Likes to Watch on TV
Start by picking a show or YouTube video that features active animals. If your dog seems more interested in birds or perhaps squirrels, find a show that features these. Also, remember that dogs don’t see red or green so look for colors like yellows and blues. Of course, most shows featuring animals will have a large amount of green, so you probably don’t have to worry about the colors too much. Still, the more yellow and blue featured, the more exciting it will be for your dog.
Watch your dog watching the animals: Do they seem to be showing enjoyment? Is their tail wagging and their eyes following the action? Or do they seem distressed in any way?
Try different kinds of animals until you stumble onto something that seems to excite your dog and makes them happy. Avoid any shows that seem to upset your pet.
What About Channels Made for Dogs?
You can find channels designed specifically for dogs. You can try DOGTV, which does require payment, but everything has been created specifically for dogs by animal behaviorists. The channel keeps the dog’s vision in mind using specific colors and frame rates. You can check out a few of their videos on YouTube for free before committing.
You can also try another YouTube channel for free called Relax My Dog, or there’s Paul Dinning, which is advertised for cats but will still be enjoyed by dogs because it features birds and squirrels with plenty of movement and sounds.
Summary
Every dog is unique, and not every dog will react to the TV quite the same. Some might only watch TV because that’s what their owners are doing. It can be a nice relaxing activity for you to try with your dog, as long as you still spend time with them doing other things.
But if your dog doesn’t seem all that interested in watching TV, that’s just your dog being their unique self. You probably already do other fun things with them, anyway!
Featured Image Credit: Javier Brosch, Shutterstock
