Barking Up the Right Channel

Ever wondered what television shows your dog would choose if given the remote?

Recently published research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine delves into this question in the hope of developing more sensitive ways of assessing canine vision, an area that’s been lacking in veterinary medicine.

The study aimed to identify factors, such as age and vision that influence a dog's interest in interacting with video content.

The study, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, discovered that dogs are most engaged when watching videos featuring other animals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, content showcasing fellow dogs was the most popular! Researchers created a global web-based questionnaire for dog owners to report their pets' TV-watching habits. The findings revealed that movement on screens strongly attracted dogs' attention, emphasising the potential of videos for assessing visual function.

Future research aims to optimise video-based methods to assess changes in visual attention as dogs age. In the meantime, it appears safe to suggest that Lassie, Red Dog or Paw Patrol could all be good options for your dog’s next movie night.