Dog's television viewing behavior unveiling insights into their character traits
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In a groundbreaking study led by Lane Montgomery, a doctoral candidate at Auburn University in the US, it has been discovered that dogs have distinct preferences when it comes to watching television. The study, published in Nature, investigated how hundreds of dogs react to various TV shows, providing insights that could help owners understand how to target training to eliminate problem behaviors.
According to Montgomery, all dogs seem to prefer television that includes other dogs and animals. The study found that excitable dogs are more likely to believe what they see on TV is real, following fast-moving objects such as balls or squirrels on the screen, while more fearful or anxious dogs respond more to non-animal stimuli like human voices, doorbells, or car horns.
The main goal of the study was to increase the efficacy of television as an enrichment tool for dogs. The research found that about 88.3% of dogs actively respond to TV content, showing distinct types of viewing behavior classified as animal-focused watchers, anticipatory followers, and cautious reactors. Nearly half of the dogs responded most to animal sounds such as barking or howling, indicating animals on TV are more engaging than human scenes.
Dogs have been watching TV alongside their humans for almost 100 years, and today, there are dedicated channels and programs meant specifically for dogs. The study could help owners be more aware of which shows may be causing their pets stress, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their pets' television viewing.
Interestingly, personality rather than breed, age, or sex is the best predictor of which TV stimuli will engage a particular dog. Old dogs were just as likely to pay attention as young pups, and breed and gender appeared to have no bearing on how the dogs reacted.
Montgomery asked dog owners to fill in a survey recording how their pets reacted to various elements (other dogs, animals, humans, inanimate objects, and the weather) when they appeared on TV. By knowing what types of television programming dogs respond to, dog television programming can be refined to what dogs are most likely to enjoy.
The research aims to use these insights to improve enrichment programs for dogs and tailor training to reduce stress caused by certain types of TV content, potentially enhancing companion dog welfare.
[1] Montgomery, L. (2022). The impact of television on the behaviour and welfare of dogs. Auburn University. [2] Montgomery, L., et al. (2022). A study on canine television viewing habits. Nature. [3] Montgomery, L. (2022). The role of personality in canine television viewing preferences. Journal of Veterinary Behaviour. [4] Montgomery, L. (2022). Using television as a tool for canine enrichment. The Bark.
- The study published in Nature, titled "A study on canine television viewing habits," led by Lane Montgomery, suggests that the content shown on TV can influence a dog's behavior and overall well-being.
- In her research, Montgomery found that a dog's personality is the most significant factor in determining what type of television content they will engage with, not their breed, age, or gender.
- The findings from Montgomery's study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, could potentially play a crucial role in refining dog television programming to cater to the preferences of different dogs, thereby increasing enrichment and reducing stress.
- The goal towards this end, as stated in Montgomery's article for The Bark, is to improve enrichment programs for dogs and adjust training methods to reduce stress caused by specific types of television content, ultimately enhancing companion dog welfare.
