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Thursday, April 19, 2012

It's a new on-screen breed - DogTV!

America now has a channel dedicated to dog entertainment and all footage has been shot from a dog's-eye view. Cameramen got on their knees to film low and long, colours are muted and music has been especially written for dogs.

There are no commercials, no ratings and no reruns and it'll cost around US$4.99 a month. More than 46 million U.S. households have dogs (according to the American Pet Products Association) and 97 percent of US homes have televisions,so the future looks promising.

Bleu, a year-old French bulldog, has been watching for a month and snorts and grunts his approval, owner Mary Catania of San Diego said. He used to perk up when Family Guy came on, Catania said, but he seems more intrigued by DogTV.

For years, pet owners have been leaving a television or radio on when they go out so their pets have company, but how much do dogs really take in when they watch DogTV?

Research on the canine brain and analogue television, has found dogs only see a flickering screen. New technologies like digital TV, high-definition cameras, and enhanced production have changed the way dogs perceive the images though, while big screens allow them to see from anywhere in a room.

Dogs not only recognise other dogs on TV, they may even respond differently to their own breed.

What you won't find on DogTV are the sounds that blare on regular TV: no gunshots, no explosions or heavy metal music. Everyday sounds are definitely included though - traffic, babies, other pets and doorbells.

Relaxation segments feature sleeping dogs and nature scenes, accompanied by dog lullabies.

Stimulation, includes dogs running, playing and surfing, animation and a lot of panting. Shows are ''refreshed'' daily for variety.

Viewers say their cats like the show as well as their dogs and CatTV may be added later, to better cater for their needs.
another possibility is scent and the technology already exists for this.

It all sounds more interesting than humanTV!!