General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsYour Dog Will Not Like DogTV
Slate:The folks behind DogTV aim to change that. Billed as the perfect babysitter for dogs who have to stay home alone, DogTV isn't a TV channel about dogs; it's a TV channel for them. Many dog owners already leave the tube on for their pets when they go out, but until now theres never been programming custom-made to keep our dogs company. Airing 24 hours a day, DogTV will show short clips of canines in a variety of situationschasing each other, riding in the car with their owners, napping, and, perversely, being visited by the mailman. There will even be animated sequences of bats flying at the screen, for some reason. The stated goal is to provide your four-legged friends with relaxation and stimulationjust like human TV!for that portion of the day when owners aren't around to take their dogs on car rides or bat-watching.
The channel, which will cost $4.99 monthly, launches on DirecTV on Thursday; it will also be available through online streaming and Roku boxes. For those of us who suffer the guilt of leaving a dog alone for hours each day, the prospect of forking out five bucks a month to allay our dogs' separation anxiety might sound attractive. It's certainly cheaper than hiring a daily dog walker. Theres only one problem: It won't work. DogTV may attract its share of bipedal viewersthe kind of relaxation addicts who tune in to Sunrise Earthbut its target audience might as well be dog-sat by Family Feud.
One reason that dogs don't care about TV is it doesn't look like TV to themit looks like a slideshow powered by a dim strobe light. Dogs see the world at a faster frame rate than humans do. Humans' flicker fusion rate is about 50-60 Hz, meaning we see the world in 50 to 60 images per second. For dogs, that rate is closer to 70-80 Hz. As Alexandra Horowitz explains in her best-selling book Inside of a Dog, canines "see the individual frames [in TV] and the dark space between them too. She continues: Thisand the lack of concurrent odors wafting out of the televisionmight explain why most dogs cannot be planted in front of the television ... It doesn't look real."
I get the feeling this is being targeted at people who overindulge their pets, like the "gourmet flavor" pet foods now being sold.
broiles
(1,367 posts)Polly Hennessey
(6,797 posts)need this. Am for sure getting it for them. I may need it too --- the relaxation one looks good.
Woof, Woof.
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)ellie
(6,929 posts)of Animal Planet. He also likes to watch birds on the computer. I have a thoroughly modern cat.
brooklynite
(94,572 posts)Does he watch live or does he time shift?
get the red out
(13,466 posts)human beings could spend some time outside with their dogs? It's done wonders for me! Start every day with a good long walk and Fido can catch some zzzzzz while humans work, and his human will feel better and be in better health.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)but when I was, I would always leave the TV on during the day for my dogs when I was at work. I don't think DogTV would have made any difference to them than the regular TV channels.
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)TrogL
(32,822 posts)As soon as a dog (or any animal for that matter) shows up, they run up to the screen barking. One of the newscasters does so many lost dog stories that they start barking as soon as she's on.