Willie watches television.
When the US switched to digital, television became accessible to dogs.
In the old analog broadcasts, the pictures moved too slowly for the dogs to perceive them as interesting. They actually saw television as series of still shots.
With the advent of digital television, the dogs can now see the images on the screen as moving objects.
Miley also loves television. She prefers cartoons.
Her favorites are Happy Feet and the Ice Age moives.
When those movies are on the television, her eyes get big. Her face develops a playful expression, and she occasional runs up to the TV, just to get a better look.
To the notion that it had to be digital first — baloney. Back in the late 1980s I had a puppy who watched TV with full concentration — but the only things she watched were football, and Max Headroom. (She did NOT watch the commercials during those shows, either.) She clearly could follow the ball, and moved her head to do so. She would watch an entire game. (Basketball didn’t interest her, so it wasn’t just the motion.)
My sister’s dog does the same thing except he’s not so fussy about what he watches. They have a big screen so it’s real obvious that he can follow motion easily enough.
The truth is probably more like.. dog’s brains can adjust to flicker just as ours do. And if flicker rates were an issue for dogs, they’d have difficulty navigating in strobing light as well (think ordinary fluorescents).
I think you’re correct. It’s just now it’s much easier for dogs to see TV. All the dogs I know watch TV now.
Before that, there were just a few who did.
Granted, that’s anecdotal, but it’s probably easier for dogs to see TV now than it was before.
Which is great for them, because we now have another enrichment tool.
Yeah, my Tooey likes TV, too. Particularly hunt training videos. The whistles and duck calls get her everytime.
Cute picture on my blog: http://patricedodd.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/educational-tv/
My first dog, Honey, loved the Muppet Show.
I used to watch the old 1970’s Muppet Show regularly when it was in reruns in the late 80’s.
I was also a Fraggle Rock fan.
They want to make an ‘edgy’ Fraggle Rock live action CG movie… I cried a bit on the inside when I heard.
That’s the worst news I heard all day.
I prefer E channel