Part of dog ownership is leaving your pooch at home by him or herself while you’re away. It can be tough – we’ve all heard those whines following us out the door – but we also try to provide our dogs with some form of entertainment while we’re gone that hopefully doesn’t include chewing up the carpet.
Well, what if your dog could watch TV while you are away?
According to the creators of DOGTV, this is now a possibility. “Cable’s first network for canines” is getting ready for their nation-wide launch, which means you may soon be able to subscribe to a network of programming made specifically for your furry family members.
The big question is: Do dogs watch TV?
Professor Nicholas Dodman, Chief scientist at DOGTV, says an emphatic, “Yes.”
Experts often recommend leaving your dog home with visual and auditory stimulation. DOGTV professionals, like celebrity trainer Victoria Stilwell, note that with digital television, dogs can see what’s on the screen more clearly and the sounds and visuals can leave them with much needed company while they’re alone. Additionally, DOGTV has modified the content to contain colors that dogs can easily see. Here’s the visual before and after:
http://youtu.be/UR5A36N7Ks0
DOGTV offers 24/7 content in 3-6 minutes packages that can relax your dog using music, sounds and visuals, stimulate your dog with animations, sounds and frequencies that will encourage play, and expose and acclimate your pup to potentially stressful stimuli like the frightening vacuum cleaner monster.
Here is an example video of play-stimulating content:
http://youtu.be/ZLJdb6Yhg2I
Your dog can use DOGTV in the same way you’d watch television. Turn it on at a normal volume and let your dog interact. Dodman notes that you shouldn’t expect your pup to sit on the couch like a human would but to move around and, well, be more of a dog while utilizing the content as a backdrop.
So here’s the next question: Would you subscribe to this? Tell us in the comments!
Right now, DOGTV is available in San Diego but you can subscribe to DOGTV’s mailing list to be notified when it’s coming to New York, or your particular area.(dog walking nyc