Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
USA, July 30. - Excited or fearful, calm or anxious, the way a dog watches television says a lot about its character and personality: some, for example, follow objects moving on the screen, while others respond more to audible stimuli like a car horn.
This is the conclusion of the first study to investigate dogs' behavior in front of television, published in the journal Scientific Reports and conducted by Auburn University in the United States. More than 450 dogs of all breeds, ranging in age from 2 months to 16 years, participated in the study.
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in television programming specifically dedicated to our four-legged friends, as well as in the frequency with which animals are exposed to various media.
To understand how dogs interact with these forms of entertainment, researchers led by Lane Montgomery recruited a large group of these animals, observing them while watching television, and their owners, who answered questions about their companions' habits.
In general, dogs tend to react more when other animals appear on screen: 45%, for example, always respond when they hear other dogs bark or howl.
The most excitable dogs tend to follow objects as if they were real, while the most fearful or anxious ones react more intensely when they hear a car horn or a doorbell.
This information, according to the study authors, could be useful for dog training, helping to correct problematic behaviors more effectively. (Text and Photo: Cubasí)
