September 29, 2025, 10:38 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Whether for entertainment, as background noise, or specifically for engagement–many dogs today live in households with a TV. But what do they actually perceive? A study shows: Dogs react very differently to TV images depending on what is shown and their temperament. The surprising result: TV experiences can be a meaningful enrichment for some dogs–but can also mean stress for others.
Dogs increasingly live as pets in a technologically advanced environment. TVs, projectors, or other projection devices are now part of everyday life–but how dogs process these two-dimensional, often deceptively real stimuli on the screen is still largely unexplored. There are indications from small studies or surveys that many dogs react to TV stimuli–such as by barking, making eye contact, or following along (PETBOOK reported).
However, standardized investigations into the frequency, type, and cause of such reactions have been lacking. It was also unclear what role individual characteristics like age, breed, or temperament play in dogs’ TV behavior. The current study aimed to fill these gaps. Two questions were central: What types of stimuli (such as animals, people, sounds) do dogs particularly react to–and how does this relate to their personality?
Researchers Develop Scale for Dogs’ TV Behavior
The study was conducted by Lane I. Montgomery, Sarah Krichbaum, and Jeffrey S. Katz from Auburn University (USA) and published in 2025 in the renowned journal “Scientific Reports.” The goal was to systematically record how household dogs react to TV images–and what factors influence these reactions.
To do this, the researchers developed a novel survey method, the “Dog Television Viewing Scale” (DTVS). This records how often a dog reacts to certain visual and acoustic stimuli from the TV–such as other animals, people, objects, or sounds. Dog owners were invited to participate via social media. 650 data sets were received, 453 of which were included in the final analysis. All participants answered questions about their dog (age, gender, breed, neuter status), TV behavior, and their pet’s personality.
The latter was recorded using two standardized questionnaires: PANAS (Positive and Negative Activation Scale) and DIAS (Dog Impulsivity Assessment Scale). The data were then evaluated using principal component analysis and statistical models. Ethical approval was granted by Auburn University.
Dogs React to Various Stimuli on the Screen
The evaluation revealed three main components of TV behavior:
- DTVS Animal: Reactions to animals (dogs, other pets, wildlife).
- DTVS Follow: Following or searching behavior (such as looking behind the TV).
- DTVS Non-Animal: Reactions to people and inanimate objects (such as cars, doorbells).
Dogs showed the greatest readiness to react to animal depictions (Component 1). Many dogs reacted by barking, wagging their tails, or showing attention-seeking behavior. It was particularly noticeable that dogs with high scores in the “Excitement” area (PANAS Excitement) more frequently exhibited following behavior. They seemed to expect the object to move further, as in the real world.
Reactions to inanimate objects or people (Component 3) were overall less common but occurred more frequently in anxious dogs. How often the TV was usually on in the dog’s home had no influence. This means that dogs do not necessarily have to be accustomed to the stimulus to show the corresponding TV behavior.
Animal Depictions Interest Dogs the Most
The study shows that dogs not only perceive TV content but also react to it in a differentiated manner–depending on what is shown and their emotional makeup. Animal depictions are particularly relevant for most dogs.
Interestingly, the type of stimulus transmission (sound vs. image) did not play the biggest role, but rather the type of object shown. Dogs seem quite capable of interpreting two-dimensional images as “real” objects–a hint at their cognitive abilities.
The findings are particularly significant for the use of TV as a possible enrichment for dogs, such as in shelters or for dogs that are home alone for several hours. At the same time, the results also warn that anxious dogs could react sensitively to certain content.
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The study is the first systematic investigation into dogs’ TV behavior. Its strength lies in the large sample size and the use of validated psychological scales. However, there are limitations: Since many participants specifically reported dogs with TV interest, the sample is not representative.
Little was reported about dogs that showed no interest in moving images. The data also rely on self-reports–an objective behavioral measurement (such as through video analysis) would be more reliable.
The influence of factors like TV size, image quality, or program type could not be systematically recorded. Training and everyday experiences of the dogs were also not considered. Despite these limitations, the study provides a solid foundation for further investigations, such as in the lab or through video coding.
Conclusion
This study provides the first structured analysis of dogs’ TV consumption. It shows: Dogs react most strongly to animal depictions–and differently depending on their personality.
For excitable dogs, TV can be an interesting enrichment, while anxious animals react more sensitively to human or technical stimuli. The TV is not equally suitable for every dog–its use as an enrichment tool should be individually tailored. For future studies, however, the DTVS offers a solid basis for behavioral measurement. 1