Should your dog watch TV?
There has probably been a time when you are watching TV with your dog in the room, and it seems like the canine is paying full attention to what is happening on-screen. Some dogs even whimper, bark or move closer to the TV when they are "watching" it.
Not all veterinarians and animal behaviorists agree that TV can truly captivate dogs, and some are skeptical of owners who leave their TVs on while they are not home to "keep the animal company." But the makers of DogTV, the first cable network that will deliver 24-hour programming for dogs, say it’s going to change the ways canines interact with televisions, The New York Times reports.
The programs are essentially like looking out the window of a car or home for a dog. The channel airs three- to six-minute segments of bouncing balls, grassy fields and humans rubbing dogs. The programs are based on three years of research on how dogs react to different stimuli.
Although these programs may keep a pet company, they are not a cure for separation anxiety in dogs or a treatment for other dog or cat illness. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, the best treatment for this psychological condition involves training techniques and sometimes medications.
