Dogs That Watch TV: What Breeds Of Dogs Watch TV?
Not every single breed likes to watch TV. Take for example, hounds. Hounds are driven by smell, so they aren’t as excited about visuals in life.
But breeds like terriers are much more interested. This is because they are generally stimulated by moving things, and that includes things moving on the TV.
Herding dogs – who are used to rounding up large piles of sheep – are much more motivated about televisions, usually. They’re very stimulated by moving things. They tend to watch TV with great smoldering intensity.
We know dogs can see, hear, and interpret what is on the TV â but do dogs like watching TV? Thatâs another story and a question for which science still doesnât have an answer.
They canât take in as many colors as you can, but their world isnât just black and white.
Even with a specially made channel, dogs tend to watch tv for only short bursts of time, usually just glancing at the TV. But some dogs are more reactive to TV than others. Herding breeds, for example, often watch television with more intensity because of their attraction to moving objects. Veterinary behaviorist at Tufts University, Nicholas Dodman, was the lead scientist on the DOGTV project. In an interview with National Geographic, Dodman explained why some dogs react to television and others donât. âDifferent dogs, like people, have different personalities,â Dodman said. âBeyond biology, how dogs react to TVâwhether itâs running around, barking excitedly, or just ignoring itâmay come down to personality or breed.â
Nowadays, our modern televisions (and phones) have high-resolution pictures and clear audio, which offer our pups a clear view into another world. Modern HD/4K TVs are refreshed at a much higher rate, allowing dogs to view fluid motion. Sounds can also have a significant impact on a dogâs viewing of television. As most pet parents can guess, studies have found that pups were more attentive to video that includes barking, whining, and sounds of praise.
Dogs process televisions and screens differently than humans do, but it turns out they do often recognize what they are seeing and hearing. Some dogs couldnât be bothered to watch TV, but, in other cases, pet parents report that their dogs are enthralled by screens. When it comes to the subject matter, you wonât be surprised to learn that dogs like watching other dogs. Animals are naturally drawn to their own species.
Why Do Some Dogs Watch TV and Others Don’t?
Just like people, dogs will get varying enjoyment out of the TV. Different breeds (and different individual dogs) have differing sight capacity, so some dogs may be able to see what is happening on TV better than others.
If a dog can easily see and recognize a dog chasing something across a screen, they may be more engaged than a dog that relies more heavily on sense of smell or hearing. And some dogs may be more easily “fooled” by the s on the screen, while others are a little more perceptive in knowing that what they see is not real.
What Do Dogs See When They Watch TV?
Hunting dogs that rely on eyesight over auditory cues are more likely to show an interest in the flickering television, according to Welshman’s reports. These breeds include terriers and whippets. Hound dogs, on the other hand, lead by their nose, and are therefore less likely to be enthralled by motion picture.
As it turns out, dogs do in fact notice and understand pictures that they see on the television screen, as well as the sounds that accompany them. These days, with the evolution of television and more high-resolution and digital broadcasting, dogs literally see a brand new picture, with much more clarity than before.