TV Programmers Seek the Elusive Dog Market 199
HonorPoncaCityDotCom writes "Stanley Coren reports that a number of new television stations are providing programming specifically designed for dogs and while many people report that their dogs completely ignore what is visible on television, with modern resolution and quicker imaging, more dogs have become potential television viewers. The increase in dog viewership is primarily attributed to the way the dog's eye works. The image on a standard television screen is updated 60 times per second and since a human's flicker fusion frequency is only 55 Hz, the image appears continuous and the gradually changing images give us the illusion of movement. However dogs can discern flickers at up to 80 Hz so with the increased availability of high-resolution digital screens that are refreshed at a much higher rate, the images are less likely to appear to be flickering to the canine eye. Presentation factors are also an issue. Dogs are most likely to respond to images that have been captured at the eye level of a dog with a low camera angle where there are moving things like animals or birds. But even if that requirement is fulfilled, most dogs do not watch television because the TV is normally placed at a comfortable eye level for human beings and dogs do tend not to scan upward, and therefore do not notice the TV images. All of which brings us to DogTV, the first cable network to deliver 24-hour programming for dogs that lets you flip on the channel while you go out for the day as your pet is stimulated, entertained and relaxed. 'If the dog wasn't enjoying it, he would find something else to do, like nibble on the end of a sofa,' says veterinarian Ann E. Hohenhaus."
dog TV (Score:5, Funny)
I hope there are a lot of bitches on TV.
entertaining? (Score:3, Funny)
well.. maybe the dog is compelled to keep an eye on the evil trans dimensional window so that no baddies come in through it.
otoh, maybe that's good times for a dog..
And now (Score:5, Funny)
a word from our sponser.
Woof woof woof bark bark howl bark bark bark growl woof woof woof wimper pant pant pant woof bark bark bark hooooooooowwwwwwwwwllllllll Purina!!
Here is the news adapted for dogs (Score:3, Funny)
Good evening. Here is the news for dogs. No dogs were involved in an accident on the M1 today when a lorry carrying high-octane fuel was in collision with a bollard. That's a bollard and not a dog. A spokesman for dogs said he was glad no dogs were involved. The Minister of Technology today met the three Russian leaders to discuss a £4 million airliner deal. None of them lay in their crates, chased their own tails, or ate any of the nice raw beef yum, yum. That's the end of the news, now our program for dogs continues with part three of 'A Tale of Two Cities', specially adapted for dogs by Joey.
And then after 11:00 PM... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:why ? (Score:5, Funny)
Nah, the commercials will be 60 second clips of whatever is located at nose height at PetsMart. Woofer goes with owner to store, recalls the images flickering within its canine brain. This triggers a Pavlovian reflex, Woofer grabs the chewy thing and promptly drools on it (You drool on it, you buy it)
Probably an improvement in TV (Score:4, Funny)
I guess the dogs are too smart to watch the crapfest channels like TLC, so we need better channels to cater to them.
Re:wealth brings stupidity (Score:4, Funny)
When my wife got back from a C-section, the cat would walk directly across her scar, massaging it. He kept at it for weeks. Nobody prompted it, it didn't see the scar directly, and so on. He just knew what to do.
Your cat sensed that your wife was weakened and was going for the most vulnerable spot. It was trying to kill your wife but, like most cats, didn't do a very good job of it.
Don't get me wrong; I love cats, but I can't help but notice that many of them seem to be competing for the title of "World's Most Incompetent Villain."
Re:$5.99/month - $9.99/month (Score:5, Funny)
Seriously? That's like $70 in dog money.