Experts Set The Record Straight On Whether Dogs Like Watching TV

There's nothing quite like a cozy movie night with your favorite pup. And if you've ever experienced a relaxing moment like this, one particular thought has probably popped up in your head. The issue in question: does your beloved canine enjoy watching TV?! Well, building on the work of several experts in the field, we’re going to give you an answer...

The big questions

The subject itself is fascinating. What could possibly be going through your dog’s head as it looks at a TV screen? Just what, if anything, are they getting out of the experience? To get a better understanding of the potential answers, we first need to address another important question. Quite simply, can canines even watch television at all?

Wild stats

There are plenty of people who believe that dogs can, and indeed do watch TV. As revealed by Rover, about 65 percent of dog owners don’t switch their televisions off when they leave man’s best friend alone in the house. Some people do this in an effort to keep their pups entertained throughout the day!

Favorite shows?

Plus, six out of ten owners quizzed by researchers claimed that their pooch even had a favored program. Meanwhile, eight out of ten stated that their pets regularly responded to small-screen stimuli. These sorts of numbers really do get you thinking, right? As weird as it sounds, could your dog really be down for watching the latest bingeable series on Netflix?

Appealing colors

One thing is for sure — dogs don’t see things the same way we do when looking at the TV. It’s quite literally impossible. For instance, consider the colors on display. There are certain shades that, when they’re flashed across your television screen, may appeal more to your curious pooch than to yourself.

Dichromatic vision

Why’s that? Well, dogs are partially color-blind. The medical term for it is dichromatic vision. That means your canine can only make out two different shades — yellow and blue. So, if a TV show or movie is big on those colors, don’t be surprised if it grabs their attention.

The flickering issue

In addition to that, flickering is another important factor when it comes to dogs and TVs. You see, your pet’s peepers are particularly sensitive to movement. They pick up on it in ways that we can’t. Due to that, canines might not understand what they’re looking at if you’ve got an older entertainment setup at home. That’s because older TVs have slower image-refresh-rates.

Speed is key

Let’s break it down. We all notice flashing lights until they reach a certain tempo. In a human’s case, that upper limit is 55 flickers-per-second. Once it hits that number, we can only see a solid beam of light. So, going back to TV, older TV sets boast rates of 60 flashes-per-second.

Better perception

Now, that won’t be a problem for us, but the same can’t be said for our dogs. As per The Wildest, it turns out that your furry friend will continue to see a flashing light until it reaches roughly 75 flickers-per-second. And in the case of a breed such as the beagle, that number is even higher: about 80 flashes. See the issue?

Modern TVs

When a dog looks at an old TV screen, they’re only going to see a jumble of flashing lights and movement. It hurts our eyes just thinking about it! But thanks to improvements with modern televisions, the refresh-rates have gone up. Manufacturers did it to provide sharper images, of course, but an unintended byproduct is that your mutt can now see TV shows in much the same way you do.

20/60 vision

Sticking with sight, here’s an additional fact to consider about how dogs perceive television differently from us. According to a vet named Christopher Pirie, who worked at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Massachusetts, your furry pal has 20/60 vision. And as you no doubt know already, most humans have 20/20.

Sitting closer

In simple terms, that means your dog is somewhat near-sighted compared to you. They’ll only be able to get a proper view of what’s happening on the television if they’re much closer to it. Pirie suggested that a distance of about 2 feet or so would be ideal.

It’s all a blur

So yes, if your couch is further back and the dog is sitting with you, the TV will very much look like a blur to them. And coupled with the flickering of older television sets, it’s a wonder that canines ever took an interest! Keeping all this information in mind, we still can't help but wonder, do dogs even enjoy watching TV?

Consider the breed

Honestly, the answer to this question could depend on the kind of pooch you own. Here’s an interesting example. According to SciShow, if you’ve got a hound at home, they’re unlikely to be captivated by whatever’s playing on the small screen. That’s because hounds in particular are led by a different sense.

Hound preference

Instead of their eyes, hounds love using their noses. A good scent will perk them up as opposed to the latest episode of a television series. So until smell-o-vision becomes a thing, the chances are that TVs won’t hold their attention. For the sake of our own snouts, we hope that particular advancement is some way off! But what about other breeds, like herding dogs?

Herding dogs love movement

Unlike hounds, herding dogs are big on visual stimulants. As per SciShow, these canines usually come to life when they spot things in motion. On that note, it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that the contents of a show being screened on television could hold their attention. Yet it doesn’t just come down to breed.

“Different personalities”

To go into more detail on that front, Nicholas Dodman, an animal behavioral expert from Tufts University, spoke to National Geographic. He said, “Different dogs, like people, have different personalities. Beyond biology, how dogs react to TV — whether it’s running around, barking excitedly, or just ignoring it — may come down to personality.”

Separation anxiety

Sticking with that, dogs who suffer from separation anxiety might get more enjoyment out of television. When no one else is around in the house, the motion and movement on screen could help keep them calm until their owner comes back. Essentially, it could take their mind off the fact that they’re alone.

Dog TV

So as you can see, there are a few factors to consider when answering the original question. And we’ve got one other thing to think about, too. It’s called Dog TV, and as you can probably gather from the name, its content is specifically geared towards capturing the attention of our canine friends.

Tailor-made content

Since the channel started back in 2012, Dog TV has presented wall-to-wall programming for dogs with their preferences in mind. Yep, that means yellow and blue play a prominent role with regards to the aesthetics, and all its content is broadcast at a suitably high refresh rate.

“Years of research”

In a statement from the channel, Dog TV’s higher-ups said, “[The network is] scientifically developed to provide the right company for dogs when left alone. Through years of research, specially designed content was created to meet specific attributes of a dog’s sense of vision and hearing, and support their natural behavior patterns.”

Three categories

That last point about behavior patterns is a particularly interesting one. You see, the content on Dog TV is broken up into three different categories. As per the network’s website, they are “Relaxation,” “Stimulation,” and “Exposure.” While the first two are pretty clear, the last one is all about making your pooch more comfortable around certain noises.

Short and sweet

Plus, the length of the content is also geared towards your dog’s attention span. Each bit of programming is between three and six minutes long. Now that might not sound like a lot to us, but for our furry friends it’s close to perfect. After all, research suggests that pooches generally only look at a TV screen in three-second bursts.

The truth

Of course, even though all of this content is tailor-made for our pets, it doesn’t automatically mean that dogs enjoy it. The broader truth is that there’s no way of knowing for certain if television overall is something they actually like...not right now, that is.

An unsolvable mystery?

Until we tap into our inner Doctor Dolittle, this mystery may never be solved. Wouldn't life be so much easier if we could read our pets' thoughts? We may never know whether dogs actually enjoy watching TV, but we do know why they have other strange habits — and we didn't even have to read their minds to figure these out.

Lick of peace

If a dog approaches you and just starts licking your face, it's probably not because you have food on your cheek. They're trying to show you that they come in peace. You can try and reciprocate it, but that might be odd...and a little unsanitary.

Mock yawn

When humans yawn, it's a physical response to being tired or bored. Dogs will yawn when they're tired, yes, but they'll also do so to express passive behavior in a group. If a dog feels comfortable, yawning is their way to say they aren't aggressive and everything is cool.

Boxing

Although adorable, cats are natural predators, so they like to hide in places where they can observe others. Boxes help them do that, which is why they prefer cardboard to the very expensive bed you bought them.

Flehmen

Has your cat ever made a strange, open-mouth face? It's not because she's shocked. Felines do something called flehmen, where they draw in air over their vomeronasal, an organ in their mouths. This lets them pick up different scents that their noses can't.

Spiny tongue

A cat tongue has little spines on it to help them groom themselves and their family. It has a sandpaper feel, so it's not always the best feeling in the world when they lick you. Be honored though, they're grooming you because they think you're family!

What?

The most heartwarming thing on the planet is when a dog looks at you with a tilted head and floppy ears. Scientists hypothesized they're just trying to understand what you want from them. They might tilt their head to get a better look at your facial expression, or to adjust their ears to hear you better.

Catnip craze

No one really knows why cats go completely bananas for catnip. But when catnip is ingested or smelled, it produces the chemical compound nepetalactone. When the molecule binds to the cat's internal receptors, there is a physical response in the form of extreme vocals or squirmy bodies.

Splash zone

It's a dangerous game giving a dog a bath — you're always in the splash zone! The obvious reason why dogs shake is to dry off, but this action goes back to their natural roots. If fur is wet, it doesn't keep them warm, and they run the risk of losing body heat, which directly correlates to survival.

Cat scratch fever

Have you ever caught your cat scratching at your walls, your furniture, or basically anything they can get their claws on? Cat paws have scent glands on them, so they scratch things to leave their scent behind. Essentially, they're marking their territory and warning others to stay away.

Smell this

If a dog picks up an interesting scent, they'll roll around in it so that it attaches itself to them. It's believed that this is a leftover trait from their wolf ancestors, who would bring a scent back to their pack. Basically, you're family and your dog just wants to share what they found with you.

Grass snack

Cats who spend part of the time outside will eat grass even though it makes them throw up. They do this on purpose, though. It helps them remove any unwanted material from their digestive tracts, like bones or hairballs.

Is that me?

Another reason why dogs will rub their bodies on grass or carpets is to remove a scent they don't like. For example, if you bathe them with a shampoo that has a strong smell, they might try to remove it by rubbing their body on something else. They might also be trying to tell you their skin is irritated.

Where you lead, they will follow

Household dogs tend to follow their owners everywhere, including the bathroom. While humans understand that at certain times you need privacy, dogs see it differently: they like to be with their pack (you). You protect them, and they protect you.

Wag of warning

When a dog's tail wags it means they're happy...well, not always. If their tail is low and wagging, it means they're uncertain of the situation they're in. If their tail wags mostly left, that means do not approach; a right-biased wag means please approach.

Human speak

Cats only meow to humans and not other cats. While kittens will meow to their mothers, adult cats will only hiss, growl, or scent mark each other. If your cat is meowing at you, they're either trying to tell you that they're hungry, want some lovin', or just want you to acknowledge them.

Belly up

A majority of cats will show you their belly and then attack you when you try to rub it. They don't actually like their belly's rubbed, but they are showing you they trust you. So when you reach for it, you're breaking their trust. Try petting their head instead.

Circling

A lot of dogs will circle before they lay down to take a nap. This is because, in the wild, circling helps pat down grass and expel any insects in an area they'd want to sleep in. It's just another leftover evolutionary trait dogs have — they're just trying to get comfortable!

Cat nap

Cats tend to sleep a lot during the day not because they're lazy, but because it's a way that wild cats conserve energy for hunts. They power down in a light sleep mode so that they can easily wake up if they need to.

Dog status

A dog on their back can oftentimes indicate submissive behavior, but when they're playing it's all about strategy. Sometimes they roll over to avoid a bite, and sometimes they roll over to give a bite. If a big dog is playing with a small dog, they'll get on their back to give the smaller dog a fair chance.

Strong sniffers

A dog's sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times better than humans', and they use their noses to interpret information. When dogs meet an unfamiliar dog, they tend to use their noses to sniff around the dog's bum. This is because glands in that area secrete scents that determine reproductive status, health, emotional state, etc.

The Need To Knead

There are many theories about why cats knead their paws into you, but many researchers agree that they're trying to return the affection that you're showing them. They just don't know that it actually hurts.