Your Staffy and the TV

The Tedster watches way more TV than is good for a dog. OK we do have one of the larger screens hanging on the wall. But the question is how much do they understand about what they see.

Coming from a background in the TV industry, historically our TVs were of little interest to our dogs. For technical reasons the old style tube TVs would have appeared to be a constant flickering source of light to them, and probably drove them mad. This is not true of our modern flat panel TV sets. Dogs also don’t see colours the same way we do.

Never the less Ted actually sits there watching it with his ears forward taking it all in. And it’s not just the picture that peaks his interest, sound plays a part too.

His viewing is selective to a certain degree.

The current Iams advert with the cats in it he recognises by the background music. And of course he feels he has to bark at them.

He hates the Blue Cross advert where the dog gets tied up an left and starts whimpering.

Any programme or advert with animals in it will get his interest. Sometimes requiring them to be barked at and sometimes prowling the rug in front of the TV back and forth making odd sounds.

He also understands “conceptual” dogs like the one for the loan company where the dog is made of £20 notes. He knows it is a dog or supposed to be a dog.

Whoever did the CGI for the wolves in The Twilight trilogy of films must have done his research because Ted seems to understand the facial expressions and actions as he doesn’t bark at them unless they are barking/growling. In the scenes they are not barking/growling he is more interested in the body language.

101 Dalmatians is one of his favourite films, again they are animations not real but he will sit glued to the screen.

Any programme with Dr Brian Cox in it for some reason gets his interest.

Anyone else got a Staffy addicted to TV.

I've often wondered whether dogs really watch TV. My Flo has zero interest in the TV but I do wonder whether that's partly because she can't hear.

Katy responds to sounds on the tv, especially POGdogs Also squeaky toy noises or doorbells

Misty loves watching the darts, shes definitely my dog

She hates the Asda advert with the bolero tune. Something about the sound drives her mad. Sometimes she watches the screen intently and definitely looks like she can see and understand it all. What I love is now a lot of the time when a dog barks on tv she ignores it as she knows its not in the room or outside and she can relax.

Bug pays no attention.. The only thing that will grasp a head tilt/glance in direction is puppy noises or squeaky toy noises. But she seems to be aware that they're not actually there!

Mia pays no attwntion to the tv whatsoever even when its a dog she prefers the radio

Buddy sits and watches the dog whisperer at 6.30 in the morning for half an hour while I eat my breakfast - if I call him he blanks me until the commercials come on - seems to like Jeremy Kyle too... I always knew he was odd!