Seriously.
Some people leave the TV on all day for their dogs to watch while they are at work. But human programming is not the best thing for dogs to be watching, according to some dog psychologists and behavior experts.
They have put in about 400 hours researching what dogs like to see and how the programming should look.
DogTV is a cable network launched this week in San Diego aimed at stay-at-home dogs and their owners who want to feel less guilty about leaving them. It’s free now, but eventually people will be charged $4.99 a month.
According to Lisa Wilhoit McCormic, co-owner of Fido & Co dog country club, the official home of DogTV:
We find it helps with separation anxiety, a problem for many dogs, and with keeping dogs relaxed and entertained. It does look different from human TV - the colors are different and the videos are taken from a dog's point of view.
Car chases and gunshots are out. SpongeBob SquarePants, harp music, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua are in. So are sounds of panting and ground shots of dogs playing and chasing balls.
According to DogTV chief executive officer, Gilead Neuman,
Every dog has a little different taste in programming. We have learned a lot and we're hoping to learn more from this launch.
One good thing about DogTV—no advertising.
Today a growing number of the 63% of American households with pets are spending more than $4 billion a year on grooming, boarding and day care. I guess you probably can't blame people for trying to grab a piece of the pie.
Is TV just for dogs the next pet trend? More information
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That is hilarious. Won't the tv rot Indiana's brain?
Posted by: Helen P. (Whiskered Paintings) | February 17, 2012 at 07:55 AM
This really is kind of silly. Maybe it depends on the dog? Mine doesn't pay any attention at all to the television.
The first year we had her I used to leave the TV on all day when we were at work thinking it would help with her separation anxiety. It didn't. In fact, it seemed to make it worse since we didn't have it on until we left and it became a trigger.
Who knows? Back when SA was a huge deal for us, I would have tried anything. Including Dog TV.
Posted by: Kristine | February 17, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Heck, why not!
Linda
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Posted by: Linda | February 17, 2012 at 01:04 PM
OMD, I can't believe this. I would watch it with the dogs to see what their reactions were, but I would NEVER pay an extra $4.99 a month for it.
Posted by: Jodi | February 17, 2012 at 01:07 PM
Dexter doesn't give a shit about the tv..but I played that video of the cat going 'no no no no no no'
over and over and it freaked him out..
Posted by: jackie | February 17, 2012 at 01:07 PM
I'd love to see what dog tv looks like. I guess I'd have to get a tv, huh?
Honey enjoys seeing dogs on the computer screen. But I think it would be too arousing for her when we go away. She needs her beauty sleep while we're at work.
Posted by: Pamela | February 17, 2012 at 03:11 PM
we would be barking our brains out if there were more dogs on TV. we bark at TV dogs, squirrels, horses, well actually any animal if it's on TV. oh yeah, we bark at those things in real life too. now if they could just put pee-mail on TV. that would keep us entertained.
wofos
Posted by: the 5Bs | February 17, 2012 at 11:20 PM
Dog TV? Oh, how weird.
Elka pays no attention, for the most part, to dogs and dog noises on recordings. Crying babies, though, make her anxious, because somebody needs to help that baby!
We dont' have TV anyway. I'm sure nobody's missing out.
Posted by: Jen | February 18, 2012 at 12:41 PM
I have hear that some dogs who bark when alone can be quited by the sound of the TV. my friend does this with her french bulldogs but mentions it must be calm TV, no amimal planet. I think she used to leave on of all things, CNN
Posted by: Urban hounds | February 18, 2012 at 02:21 PM
For the dog that has everything?
Posted by: Karen Friesecke | February 18, 2012 at 06:02 PM
this makes me think so many things! for one, half of what they're saying is good programming for a dog contains stimuli that would rile desmond up--not calm him down. dogs playing ball??? um, what? is there any dog who would feel calm seeing that? i don't get it...
also, we were leaving an ipod on for desmond while we were at work (the Through a Dog's Ear classical music), and our electric bill jumped up. i cannot even imagine what would happen to the bill if we left our 52" LCD TV on all day. holy moly!
all that being said, i'd totally want to watch some of this WITH desmond, just for kicks.
Posted by: lauren | February 21, 2012 at 10:28 AM