Dog personalities may influence their TV preferences
A new study published in Scientific Reports has revealed that a dog's television viewing preferences are strongly influenced by its personality. The research, conducted by a team from Auburn University in Alabama, USA, involved responses from 453 dog owners and their pets.
The study used a novel Dog Television Viewing Scale (DTVS) based on owner observations. Dogs watched TV for an average of 14 minutes during the study, and findings suggest that dogs not only perceive TV content meaningfully but their personality traits—like excitability and anxiety—predict the type of engagement they show.
Excitable dogs tend to follow on-screen movement more actively, especially content featuring animals. On the other hand, anxious or fearful dogs show stronger reactions to non-animal stimuli such as human voices or doorbell sounds. Overall, 88.3% of dogs in the survey actively responded to television content, demonstrating distinct viewing styles classified as animal-focused watchers, anticipatory followers, and cautious reactors to human or object-related content.
The study's findings could inform best training practices for pet owners and trainers, as well as enrich the type of programming owners let their canines watch. For example, more excitable dogs might benefit from dynamic animal videos, while anxious dogs might respond better to quieter, non-animal content, or possibly need less stimulating TV. This understanding may also enhance shelter enrichment and training approaches by aligning audiovisual stimuli with individual dogs' personalities.
In situations where problem behaviours are exhibited towards television media, these temperament-level differences could be useful. In Australia, where approximately 48% of households have at least one dog, this information could be used to avoid potential stressors and create a more enjoyable viewing experience for dogs.
The study's original title was "Dogs might have TV preferences based on their personality", and it was published by Cosmos. The researchers suggest that future studies could evaluate these behaviours and apply television interventions in shelters based on individual dog temperament.
References:
- [Scientific Reports, 2021]
- [Cosmos, 2021]
- [Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019]
- [Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 2021]
- [Animal Cognition, 2020]
- This groundbreaking study, published in Scientific Reports, not only sheds light on a dog's television preferences but also highlights the correlation between a dog's mental health and its personality.
- The study, underlined in Cosmos, could influence the choice of health-and-wellness programming for pets, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle considerations for our furry companions.
