Ct was a time when the news was that cat videos were among the most popular content on YouTube. In the last twenty years, however, we have gone from making cat videos (still very popular) to making videos for cats. And the news is that these videos are proliferating and increasing in number and quality. Videos and TV for cats and dogs and for every need: a surprising development. But if we think about it, it is inevitable of a society in which pets have effectively become part of the family. In any case, a question arises: do they really watch it?
Boom in TV and YouTube channels for dogs and cats
From the newborn PetTV, launched by the technology giant Tencent: the first Chinese streaming channel active 24 hours a day to entertain dogs and cats while their owners are away from home. TO DogTVa television channel and streaming service, producing original content for dogs in more than twenty countries.
There’s something for all tastes. There are apps like Happy Dog TV and Relax my cat. And various YouTube channels that provide content for pets: how Bini TVwhich boasts a soundtrack of chirps and lasts more than an hour. OR Four Paws TVCartoon Dog Music, Puppy Dreamscape and Sleepy Cats.
And then Siesta Dog TV, which offers cartoons for dogs with colors that are most congenial to them. He is particularly interested in the latter David Silverberg for a piece on BBC. He invented the channel Luca Carano six years ago, when he lived in Barcelona and was forced to leave his dog Luna at home alone. Among the contents, cartoons lasting up to 10 hours each. The protagonists are dogs playing, wandering around New York or watching ducks, accompanied by relaxing music.
Cartoons for dogs: against loneliness and separation anxiety
“People are more attached to their dogs than ever, they treat them like children and worry about leaving them alone,” explains Nicholas Dodman, director of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies in Connecticut. «And there’s also an mgreater awareness, nowadays, of the separation anxiety that affects dogs». Hence the growing demand for dog-friendly TV shows.
Making them is increasingly easier thanks to artificial intelligence. Although, even for this use of AI, there are those who set limits: «We at DogTV believe that shortcuts are not allowed when it comes to pet welfare,” explained Beke Lubeach, CEO of DogTV.
TV and videos for dogs, but do they really watch them?
But let’s get back to the question: do dogs really watch TV and do they benefit from it? The research is conflicting.
A study by the Canine Behavior Center at Queen’s University Belfast, published in 2023, analyzed the reaction of 50 dogs in a shelter to different screens. It turned out that the dogs were spending only 10.8% of total viewing time looking directly at television monitors. “The dogs in this research paid relatively little attention to the television monitors and became accustomed to their presence within a short time,” the report reads. The authors highlighted that traditional forms of entertainment for dogs, such as relationships with humans and other dogs, are significantly more important to their well-being.
A Golden enchanted in front of the TV: he is looking at the image of a dog (Getty Images).
Other research is more positive. For example, according to a study from Auburn University, published in July last year, «Watching television, dogs experience a meaningful and object-rich world and they have an enriching and meaningful experience.”
Anti-stress effect and the right colors for dogs
The optimism of Beke LubeachCEO of DogTV: «Our videos help reduce stress in dogs», she assures. Thesis also supported by a Purdue University study according to which dogs in a kennel who watched videos spent less time walking back and forth and more time grooming and resting.
For this purpose, i DogTV videos are edited in post-production to bring out the colors that dogs like. “The interesting thing is that by intensifying the reds and greens, the video acquires greater depth, making the colors stand out and helping the dogs see them better.”
Videos keep lazy and older dogs active
The channel also offers some programs “exposure therapy”. They are shown potentially scary situations (such as fireworks and car journeys) in controlled environments, and this should make them less anxious when they actually experience them.
According to Lubeach, TV can be particularly useful for dogs that are not particularly active: «They are a mental stimulus for elderly dogs and lazy dogs: even if they don’t do physical activity, they still need to exercise their mind».
