New TV Channel Gives Dogs Pause

Scientific American

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TV is going to the dogs. Because soon dogs can watch a channel that caters to their canine sensibilities.

DOGTV is already available in some markets and debuts nationally August 1 on DirecTV, at $6 to $10 a month. Roku users also can subscribe.

Programs allegedly promote relaxation or stimulation, or simply display scenes of daily doggy life. A “relaxation” preview on DOGTV’s site features a montage of boats on a lake and pooches lounging in exotic locales—all set to a new age score.

The offerings are designed specifically for a dog’s eyes and ears. Images are colored to enhance details. Contrast, brightness and frame rate are also tweaked to accommodate canine vision. And sounds and music stay within a specific frequency range to keep canine viewers from being startled or agitated.

DOGTV’s three-to-six-minute features are programmed to fit into the average stay-at-home dog’s daily routine. If the channel is a success, it could bring new meaning to the term watchdog.

—Larry Greenemeier

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]

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