Does your Dog Watch TV?

Almost everyone I know with a dog claims that their pooch watches television. I believe them, but I also know that a dog’s eyesight is very different from ours, so what exactly does “watching TV” mean for a dog?

Pet experts say that a lot of dogs will actually follow the movement of objects on the screen–and may even bark. However a dog doesn’t see the screen the same way we do. Although dogs don’t see exclusively in black and white (as many people think), they don’t have the same range of color that humans do. There are fewer cones (color vision cells) in a dog’s eye than in a human’s eye. Yet, dogs have many more rods (light and motion detectors) than we do, so although they see a limited spectrum, they can see better at night. Dogs can also see flickering light better than we can, which means they might even be able to see individual frames in a television sequence where we would see a continuous scene.

Because of the anatomy of a dog’s eyes, the dog cannot tell what an object on the screen actually is. But the movement and shapes he is able to see can be pretty intriguing. The sounds emitted from the television are attention-grabbing as well. Because dogs can pinpoint the directional origin of sounds they hear, the TV can be quite aurally entertaining. Although experts say that a dog’s acute hearing can differentiate between a television sound and a live sound, many a dog still seem to be fairly well entertained by the sounds coming from the set.

Does your dog watch TV? What kind of programs does he or she like?

Read more: Behavior & Communication, Dogs, Pets, dogs, television, TV

By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy & Green Living

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Steve G.

5:33AM PDT on Apr 28, 2012

Well Daisy Brittany/Lab is glued to the tv ...she watches the weather ,some news and especially sportsmans channel. Coming in from outside ...she will run in and sit rt in front of the tube...then look for me as if to say: lets go.... turn it on! She will watch it for hours period...I dont think the doc has seen "the right dogs: either

send a green star

Riley H.

4:13PM PDT on Apr 10, 2012

my cocker-spaniel not only watches tv, he recognizes the green animal planet channel logo at the bottom of screen. when any type of animal appears on screen, he immediately rises to all four and stares deeply.. followed by (if i don't control him) barking, growling and attempts to leap at the screen!! Its actually one of the most wonderful and entertaining things. He is special.
I am 100% sure that he CAN differentiate b/w just objects and images of other animals. He doesn't give the giant gecko from geico commercials a second look, but the second he spots a dog in a commercial or movie, he freaks!! He will also look at the tv on command. We say "riley, tv" in a specific tone, and he automatically draws his attention to it. Heaven forbid our family is able to watch White Fang :)
Please, please explain this. I have videos upon videos of evidence!! :)
Thanks!!!

Rochelle N.

12:25PM PDT on Mar 13, 2012

Ok so I didn’t think my dog watched TV until this Saturday when I had on Animal Planet and a dog show came on called Who Let The Dogs Out. This skateboarding bulldog was on it and I swear Sissy woke up from her nap and stared at the TV for the whole show. The dog on TV’s name was Tillman and I think he’s the same one from the Tillman’s Treats that Natural Balance sells. Kind of amazing – clearly Sissy’s favorite must-see-tv show – LOL!

Donna H.

4:27PM PST on Feb 19, 2012

My dog noticed another animal on the TV once, looked behind the set and saw there was nothing there and never took any notice of it again!

Fred K.

9:16AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

I wonder how a dog or cat perceives an LCD screen as opposed to a flickering (50 or 60 cycle) old style CRT screen? Would the images look more stable and flicker less to the low-persistence animal vision? As for sound sensitivity, plenty of dogs I know can hear driveway gravel crunching before the driveway warning bell (photoelectric sensor at driveway end triggering a chime in the house) even with a 500 meter or so driveway. Detecting 'signature sounds' on the idiot box should be easy.

David F.

11:22AM PST on Feb 16, 2012

My Golden Retriever (3yrs) watches TV when there are other animals on the screen, but my Newfoundland (3yrs) and my Husky (12yrs) almost never show any interest. My Golden seems particularly interested when cats are on the screen (55" HDTV). He never barks, but he does get fearful when a large cats takes out a large animal and has jumped in my lap on several times due to the on screen violence. Not always pleasent, because he's 94lbs. My Husky and Newfoundland only react when dogs bark on a show that is full surround sound. They are much more interested in watching squirrels or people walk their dog by my house, which my Golden has no interest in.

Joe R.

2:28PM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Very interesting.

Patricia G.

10:20AM PST on Dec 12, 2011

My duchshund does not pay much attention to TV, except when there's some animal sound on.

Lauran B.

1:26PM PST on Dec 11, 2011

Just like Sue J. (in this thread), I also have a Golden Retriever (4 years old) named Daisy. Daisy loves television, and often sits to watch a show with me. She also watches by herself and never misses an animal. She recognizes any dog, whether cartoon or real, and barks and wags her tails at them. She barks at riderless horses, but doesn't bark when it is being ridden .. for some reason, it makes a difference to her. She goes mad over cats, barked ferociously at the wolves in Narnia, as well as Mr. Tumnus (a faun) and the centaurs, and she barked like crazy at Aslan, until I told her he was a good lion. She knows when someone is "in trouble" in a show and makes little "cry" sounds.

I think that whatever "experts" there are who say dogs don't really see what is on television have just never met the right dogs!

Beth G.

9:38AM PST on Dec 5, 2011

I have a cat that watches TV.