Cinema for four-legged friends: Can dogs actually watch TV?

Expert gives tips

Created: 10/30/2022, 6:00 p.m

By: Larissa Strohbusch

Many Owners Ask: Can Dogs Watch TV?

Yes, they actually can - in their personal perception.

But is special dog television worth it?

Most dog owners know it: they make themselves comfortable in front of the television and the four-legged friend watches with them.

Some dogs are only interested for a short time, others freak out when they see a conspecific on the screen.

But can dogs really watch TV?

And does that even drive away boredom when you have to stay at home alone?

They perceive the world differently: Can dogs really watch TV?

A dog sees himself on TV.

(Iconic image) © Allstar/Imago

Dog eyes work differently than human eyes.

For a long time, scientists thought dogs could only see in black and white.

This has now been refuted: Dogs do perceive colors, albeit dichromatically.

That is, they see the color spectrum of yellow and blue.

Their eyes also have a different flicker frequency than humans: While it is 50 Hz in humans - we perceive the illusion of a film at 50 frames per second - dogs need 70 Hz. A normal video, especially from older television sets, therefore flickers in theirs Perception.

However, the visual sense is not as important for dogs and they therefore see less clearly than humans.

In addition, dogs are not able to understand unfamiliar perspectives.

Unnatural camera angles or animation will leave the dog rather cold.

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Action Blockbuster as Dog TV?

That really interests the four-legged friend

One thing is clear: dogs can watch TV.

But do they want that too?

Dogs are usually interested in what they know.

You like animals on the screen, especially fellow animals.

However, some dogs are also curious about animals that they have never seen before.

This is not only a question of character, but also depends on the breed.

Herding dogs are bred to be more sensitive to visual stimuli and will be more responsive to the screen than scent hounds, for whom smell is more important.

The following applies to all dogs: Sounds are much more important than images, because dogs have good ears.

If it barks on TV, an animal whines or if you hear praise and commands, as you know it from your human, then you prick up your ears and pay attention.

It's often like this: the dog watches TV,

because mum and dad do it.

Most dogs react to what their owner is doing and therefore examine what interests them so much.

Studies show that dogs have the same feelings as their owners.

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Is TV useful for dogs?

Dog TV appears to be a niche in the market that various providers are trying to fill.

There are already television stations specially designed for fur friends.

There the dog is shown situations that should relax him, for example green meadows and other four-legged friends.

Many owners leave the TV on anyway while they are away from home for a long time so that the dog does not get bored or lonely.

Dog trainer Melanie Hofmann sees this critically.

On martinruetter.com she reveals: "The dog should learn that it can relax and be left alone when it is alone." can enjoy lonely hours.

Action can generally do no harm, because: