Up until recently, the answer to this question was that they can’t, since their eyes and other senses work differently from humans. One of the main difference is that while in most humans flicker fusion occurs at around 50 to 60 Hz, the flicker fusion rate for most dogs may be as high as 70 to 80 Hz, so when they watch a CRT screen that refreshes at a rate of 50 or 60 Hz, they see flickering frames instead of continuous motion pictures.
However this is not the case with LCD technology, especially when the refresh rate is 100 Hz or higher, which is already good enough for dogs (and cats) as well. In a recent article, Auckland-based vet Alex Melrose also pointed out that the widespread theory of dogs not being able to see colors is wrong. They can see the colors of the blue spectrum, so they’re just red-green color blind. But why are they behind us regarding colors when they can detect faster motion? The simplified answer is because they have more rod cells but less cones in their retina.
Visual capabilities also vary by dog breeds: Greyhounds and Labradors tend to have better eyesight than other breeds, so they are more likely to enjoy Animal Planet. However, with the advancements made toward a more realistic visual experience, probably more pooches will get interested in watching TV. But even if you have a perfect sound system with your TV set, there’s one thing that your dog will miss: smell. Without an intriguing scent dogs are likely to lose interest soon. Which is good, because we don’t want them to become couch potatoes.
Photo by editPARK
I have an American Pit Bull and a Mini Bull Terrier and Pit Mix and both both love watching t.v especially when its on discovery channel or animal planet.
With the number of dogs increasingly watching TV, they can become as stupid as we are. Now they can watch reality shows and learn: to jail break, take drugs, leaern how to be rude to their fellow man, be hurtful, live in a trailor, learn behaviors of low common denominator people, commit incest, get tatoos, and loose their teeth.
Dogs will never be the same.
Great story, thanks for posting!
I have an almost five year old Australian Shepherd. He has watched TV from a very young age. I have had him since he was 9 weeks old. As time has gone by, he has become more and more addicted to TV. It is not unusual for him to watch a 2 hour long romantic movie with no animal content or action. He also whines and/or tilts his head if an actor shows sadness. Though he is interested in TV shows that contain animals, that is not the only thing he watches. And he does’t get excited…just gets hooked on the content of the show. He also loves cartoons that contain animals and recognizes the animal cartoons as being animals. He also has a kazillion favorite commercials. He even knows by the beinning sound if Ha favorite is coming up that he hasn’t seen or heard in over a year. He used to love an insurance commercial that contained a terrier who would bury his bone in the commercial to the song “Trouble”. It hasn’t been on for a long time. But the other night on the new “Voice” show there was a fellow singing the song “Trouble” on the show (same song as in the commercial). He recognized the song immediately on “The Voice”. He does love music a lot. He also recognizes the theme of the type of show or part of a show that shows mystery, romance and other subjects. Some of his favorite shows are “Dancing with the Stars”, the Victoria Secret Lingerie Special” and many other shows that shouldn’t in any way attract the attention of a dog. It’s almost eerie how long he can watch some of these show and never lose interest. If they are a series, he immediately recognizes the beginning seconds of what themesong of the show or commercial. He is really quite amazing.
Bravo competes in herding and he has a very special rapport with the livestock. No chasing and biting. He has a confab with the stock before he starts on a course and the stock seem to respect him and understand his willingness to cooperate with them and visa versa. When the course is finished he will often walk over to the lead sheep and give it a kiss on the nose…very much like two human competitors shaking hands at the end of the competition.
We are babysitting our son’s dog while he is overseas. The boxing day test came on the TV and he has been watching it ever since. He will not stop looking for anything. He can see when the bowler is bowling the ball, because physically he gets ready for the batsman to hit the ball. I have tried to distract him with a real ball, but he will have none of it. 9 hours of watching cricket, should wear him out, but he gets distressed when it goes off. I have put a video on youtube calling it a mad cricket fan, but it doesn’t show the full impact the cricket has on him. He actually follows the ball.
My dog was a mix of german shepard, rotty, and husky. We were watching 50 below, a movie with huskys, and as soon as the dogs were on the screen my dog was watching and when the dog on the screen got attacked my dog started to wimpered and protected us, he looked so sad for this other dog. He watched the whole movie with us. So I am pretty sure dogs can watch tv!
My crazy dogs gets really pissed off when he sees a dog…..or a lion……on the tv. Today he saw a lion and growled and was trying to bite the tv. He’s not friendly with dogs in the real word but doesn’t go after them or bite them. Guess he just doesn’t want them in the house.
My dogs an American Bulldog. He’ll sometimes fix his eyes on the tv and you know hes watching. He really hates monkeys when theyre on tv, and babies. He doesnt have a pattern. he’ll just be interested in the most random things on the television. Recently we had a show on involving vultures, leopards, lions and wildebeast herds. He only seemed interested in the wildebeast herds.. the other animals he couldnt care less about. started whining and growling and got up and did the cute dog tilted head thing. weird dog.
Would have to strongly disagree with this whole “flicker fusion nonsense” due to the fact that my puggle has been watching tv consistantly on a regular 1990 style tv from just a few weeks after I got him as a 3 month old puppy. (eye test, check) I’ve performed the volume test…. Still couldn’t pry him away from the tv. (smell test, check) On the reverse, I’ve turned up the volume locked him in the other room and every commercial or show with an animal, that he has seen befor he responds verbaly. (memory test, check). I’m no dog expert but common sense tells me that repitition is the best training device in any application.. I had fell on this whole situation by sheer accident for the simple fact that I thought it was easier to leave the tv on as opposed to the radio ( as dirrected by the dog books) while I was at work all day. After a few months I noticed that when I would watch tv, here was my dog laying next to me with his eyes glued to the tv like a six year-old on Saturday morning.
my dog kula is a pitbull black lad mix, and she loves to watch T.V. we watch animal planet allot and she is allways standing up there watching the dogs and cats. as soon as we got a big screen lcd t.v. she would watch it with me all the time. she is a good dog till she scratches up the furniture, but we still love her.
i have an australian cattle dog that is 8 and has always watched TV, no matter what animal is on…i can’t watch animal planet, he gets too excited..
I have a rottweiler cross called Claudia. She began watching dog programs, that then moved onto Baboons with Bill Bailey, every time you shout “baboons” she runs to the tv to look for them. She then began to watch any animal program on the tv, glued to the screen, following animals round. She now watches absolutely everything, she will sit and watch all of the soaps, the news, she even watches full films, and was glued to the screen when i had harry potter on the other night. She’s a very special pet indeed!!
YES, they can! my dog hates other dogs so when we’re watching a movie about dogs i point up at the screen and then she runs towards the tv and starts barking at the dog on the screen.
I have a rat terrier/ king charles cavalier mix. From the time I got him he likes to watch tv. He has just now turned 6 and still watches. I don’t believe the theory that he cannot tell what the object is. Sparky can watch tv with the sound system turned totally off and see a dog (any kind and start vocalizing. He isn’t supposed to bark) But, if it’s another animal most of the time he sees and ignores them. He is so very smart and was trained as my Service Dog. He knows so many commands and has probably saved my life more than once. He’s usually at my side/ feet, chair etc.
He’s the first dog I’ve ever had however that actively watched tv. I think it’s true some dogs cannot and some dogs can.