Gaby
A new study by animal psychologists at Auburn University (USA) has revealed that a pet dog’s reaction to television shows is linked to specific personality traits.
To explore this connection further, the team involved 453 pet dogs in their research. Each of these furry companions had their favorite TV shows. However, programs featuring animals elicited equally passionate responses from most of the four-legged friends, according to lead researcher Lane Montgomery, who has studied dog behavior and cognitive abilities for many years.
“Dogs particularly enjoy watching shows that feature other dogs and animals,” Montgomery told BBC Science Focus. More than half of the dogs involved in the study reacted enthusiastically to such programs, regardless of their gender or age.
Montgomery noted that dogs have been watching television with their owners for nearly 100 years. There are even dedicated channels and shows for dogs that help enrich their lives while their owners are busy. However, there has been very little research on this topic until now.
What Did the Animal Psychologists Report?
To address this gap, Montgomery’s team invited dog owners to participate in a survey. Owners were asked to answer questions about how their pets react to other dogs, animals, people, inanimate objects, and weather when these are shown on television.
It turned out that more impulsive dogs often tried to follow objects on the screen or explored the area behind the television to see where the on-screen characters were headed. In other words, these pups expected to find them right in their own room.
Meanwhile, timid dogs reacted more noticeably to a person on the screen, a doorbell, or a car horn coming from the television.
It’s worth noting that the study was inherently focused on dogs that showed interest in television programs (based on owner reports).
“Watching TV can be an enriching and meaningful experience for dogs. By understanding which shows dogs respond to, we can enhance the programming segment for them, allowing them to derive more enjoyment,” Montgomery believes. The results of the study were published in the journal Nature.
