What Do TV Screens Look Like to Dogs?
Knowing what TV screens look like to dogs can help us better grasp how dogs perceive them and why they often react in odd ways the moment we turn that box on.
Can dogs watch TV and see the images in the same way we do? What about the colors? Are they able to see the fine details just as we do? Do they understand that the animals seen on the screen aren't really there?
These are all great questions! Discover how dogs see the T.V. and whether they perceive it in the same way humans do.
A Word About Modern TVs
In the past, dogs weren't really into watching T.V. Indeed, if you are old enough to remember the first episodes of Lassie being aired on TV, most likely your dogs back then could have cared less about watching it.
Turns out, dogs had their good reasons for ignoring all the images aired on TV back in time. Basically, older TV sets had far less crisp images than the vivid images we appreciate today on our modern flat-screen TVs.
On top of offering less vivid crisper images, older TV sets also offered fewer frames per second, with the end result of the images appearing to flicker to a dog.
This is because dog eyes tend to register images more quickly compared to ours.
In contrast, modern HDTVs tend to refresh at 120 frames per second. With such “faster” moving pictures, dogs therefore have better chances of viewing the TV in a similar fashion as humans do, although there are still some discrepancies worthy of mentioning.
It can therefore be said that modern TVs are designed in such a way as to enable dogs to see images. Indeed, nowadays there are even T.V. channels crafted with just dogs in mind!
Do Dogs See the Same Colors on TV as Humans Do?
It may come as a surprise to some people to discover that dogs perceive color while watching television. However, dogs see color differently than humans do.
A dog's vision is dichromatic, meaning it can only distinguish two colors which are blues and yellows. Humans, on the other hand, can detect three primary colors: red, green and blue, (that makes us trichromatic, by the way.)
Television screens are composed of many small pictures, each pixel emitting red, green, and blue light. Even though dogs cannot see color in the same way as humans, they can still enjoy watching television.
Do Dogs Hear the Same Sounds On TV as Humans Do?
More than visuals, what may draw dogs to the TV are sounds. Dogs have a highly developed sense of hearing. They can hear sounds far more clearly and far louder than humans do, and they can detect a wider range of sound frequencies and sound waves compared to us.
Dogs might bark at the sound of a doorbell or jingling dog tags on TV, as if these were real. Dogs are also drawn to barks and howls from other dogs, praising words from humans and the squeak of rubber toys.
The volume of the television can increase the salience of these triggers, making them more noticeable to your dog.
Why Do Some Dogs React to the TV While Others Do Not?
You may notice how some dogs may chase the animals on the screen, while others will ignore them altogether, what's going on? What makes some dogs react to TV screens more than others?
At some point you may have wondered about which dog is smarter, the one that pays no attention to the TV because he knows it isn't real, or those who react to things because they look very real!
Did you know? Veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Freya Mowat at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has turned a dog's TV watching behavior into something productive.
She is running an online survey to learn more about the intriguing screen-watching habits of dogs. The research is conducted in hopes of gathering information about a dog's vision so as to create a tool for assessing a dogs' eyesight as they age.
Seeking Interaction
Dogs relate to TV screens much differently than humans. Rather than passively staring at the screen, what dogs are seeking is actual interaction with the screen.
Indeed, dogs don't just stay in front of the images, rather, they act as interactive spectators who approach the screen to get a better view, sniff and bark in reaction to stimuli and switch their attention between the screen and their families sitting on the couch.
Possibly, this way of interacting is why many dog owners struggle with dogs reacting to the TV. Humans would like to passively stare at the screen and absorb the scenes, while dogs are wishing to interact.
Most likely this difference in relating to the TV screen has to do with perceptual differences between humans and dogs.
While humans can discern between reality and fiction (we understand from an early age that what happens on TV is for the most part staged or scripted), dogs lack the cognitive ability to engage in such abstract thinking.
A dog's perception of the world is primarily driven by their instincts and they may react impulsively to the things they see or hear on the TV. They therefore are unable to comprehend that, what they are hearing and seeing on TV is not actually happening in their immediate environment.
A Word About Dog TV
DOGTV was founded by Ron Levi and consists of a 24-hour network dedicated to doggy entertainment. which includes both live and on-demand videos.
The programming is different from that of regular TVs or YouTube. It is made to engage a dog's senses, rather than our own.
The content on DOGTV is based on research in the pet industry and has been approved by leading pet professionals. The creative team behind DOGTV has spent hundreds of hours developing appropriate content for dogs.
While dogs enjoy watching other dogs and the occasional dog show on T.V., they do not like the sound of barking dogs. Indeed, Levi and his team of researchers has studied how dogs reacted to different shows and found that the sound of barking dogs was too distracting to them, so instead of airing barking dogs, this TV for dogs uses soothing classical music instead.
Please note; While a TV is a great way to spend quality time with your dog, it's still not a replacement for mental stimulation and physical exercise.
Study Reveals How TV Can Help Developing Puppies
Did you know? A study where several puppies between the ages of 3 and 5 weeks were exposed to a variety of video images, has found that such exposure may help puppies learn how to adapt better to novel stimuli and situations.
This can prove beneficial to puppies raised in impoverished environments such as kennels where opportunities to be exposed to a variety of stimuli and situations are often lacking.
Further experiments are needed to determine how and when video exposures may be the most useful to pups and how to use them effectively in the near future.
References:
- The Dog Behavior Answer Book. Practical Insights & Proven Solutions for Your Canine Questions, by Arden Moore.
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Exposure to video images between 3 and 5 weeks of age decreases phobia in domestic dogs Jolanda J.T.M. Pluijmakersa, David L. Appleby, John W.S. Bradshaw, Anthrozoology Institute, Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford
Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or behavioral advice. If your dog is acting sick or aggressive please consult with a qualified professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
