Leaving the radio or television on for your pets when you’re away from home is a nice gesture, but it isn’t always comforting. Your taste in entertainment may not appeal to your pets. Luckily, there have been advancements in a new endeavor known as DOGTV.
The Humane Society of the United States has long suggested that we leave the television on when our pets are home alone. And according to Reuters, 60 percent of U.S. dog owners have done just that, but are the dogs actually enjoying it? Regular television channels often feature noises that annoy and alarm dogs like sirens and explosions. They feature colors that dogs can’t see like green. And our programs are said to make some dogs anxious. Fortunately, specialists have started entertainment endeavors for our pets like feline and canine music and now canine television.
DOGTV is cable’s first network that offers dog-specific programming 24/7.
This innovative network is backed by famous pet experts including Prof. Nicholas Dodman, the director of the animal behavior department at Tufts University, and Victoria Stilwell, of the popular Animal Planet show “It’s Me Or The Dog.”
This commercial-free network films with low camera angles to get a dog’s perspective. They “mute colors, alter sound, and add music specially written for dogs.” The programs feature things like other dogs and nature scenes. The programs last three to six minutes and come in three categories: “relaxation” with soothing sounds, “stimulation” which encourage playfulness, and “exposure” which features familiar scenes like car rides and traffic.
The network began as a local endeavor so it is currently available in San Diego on COX and Time Warner, though they hope to expand nationally. If you’re too excited to wait you can stream the DOGTV channel to your computer for $10.00 a month.