Question

Dogs like watching TV and know what they're watching

Answer 1

This statement and the article provided are mostly true as dogs like to watch TV, but can't always tell what is happening on the TV. Since dogs are dichromatic, meaning they see in only two colors, some TV programs with these colors may be more interesting to dogs as tehy can see more of what is happening. This is why dog-specific TV channels are much more popular among dogs as their visuals and sounds are much more conducive to dogs. Dogs decide to watch TV for a few reasons, the most widely accepted reason is they are initially attracted to the sounds on the TV and then the visuals take over their interest the longer they stay. This all depends on the dog's breed and personality, much like humans. Different dogs might not be into watching TV just as humans do so saying all dogs are interested in watching TV isn't true, but those who watch TV have a reason to enjoy it.

https://www.inverse.com/article/55191-why-your-dog-likes-to-watch-tv

https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/can-dogs-see-tv

Comments

This is a really good response! I like how you pointed out how the claim is true, but there is the possibility that it is only true for certain breeds and age groups of dogs. I did some of my own research and I found that dogs breeds meant for herding or hunting are most likely to be interested in watching TV (https://www.wpr.org/animals/pets/dogs-like-to-watch-dogs-on-tv-new-study-by-uw-researcher-finds).

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I appreciate your clear response. It would be helpful if you, at the end, summarized why this claim is determined as Exaggerated / Misleading.

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I agree with much of what you've said about dogs and their interactions with TV. It's true that dogs are generally dichromatic, seeing a limited range of colors compared to humans, which could make certain TV programs more appealing to them. However, it's important to note that while some dogs may be drawn to TV due to the sounds or visuals, not all dogs are interested in watching.

Answer 2

I thought that this was a really interesting claim so I began to dig deeper into it, and found out that Dogs' vision is much different than us humans, they see fewer colors, and have a lower frame rate sensitivity than we do. This means they might not perceive what is going on in the TV in the same way we do, and they might be less engaged with it. However, if you play videos with animals or nature sounds, some dogs may show extreme interest, especially if they feel connected to those images or sounds with something they enjoy, like playtime or walks. I also found it interesting when researching this question that there are specific shows that are made in colors for dogs to watch, and that these shows have been known to be very popular among dogs. so I would say that there is some backing to this statement that yes dogs can enjoy watching tv, and may understand what is going on but I would alter the statement to sometimes dogs like and understand what is going on the tv screen. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/202401/what-dogs-prefer-to-watch-on-television

https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/can-dogs-see-tv

Comments

You gave great feedback and provided good outside resources to add to this fact check. I think this is an interesting subject and something we aren't completely sure about entirely if dogs really do enjoy watching shows like we do.