Dogs in Germany get TV channel

Berlin: German TV broadcaster Deutsche Telekom has announced the launch of a channel designed especially for dogs.

DogTV is a pioneering venture inspired by the success of the formula in the US where a similar channel was introduced two years ago.

The company explained in a statement Tuesday that DogTV started to broadcast Sunday in Germany. Up to seven million dogs will be able to watch programmes developed according to the best scientific research and analysis on how animals behave in front of television sets.

Nicholas Dodman, professor of veterinary medicine at Tufts University, clarified that the channel's purpose was not to get animals addicted to the idiot box but an alternative to the monotony dogs undergo when they were left alone at home.

According to the studies that the channel deems reliable, 60 to 70 percent of people who own dogs leave them in front of the television when they leave their houses.

Dogs watching DogTV react more when perceiving movement; therefore, programmes on the new channel will focus mainly on kinetics.

The channel offers stimulating, relaxing and educational programsme; for example, a ball appears in motion or dogs appear running through a field, while a soft, single-instrument melody plays in the background.

Although dogs are not able to perceive colours like humans, they do have a tendency to react to movement in a similar way, and the new generation of LCD television sets allow dogs a quality visual experience.

DogTV was launched in California in 2012, and currently has around one million subscribers, according to the channel's data.

The channel can also be seen in Japan, South Korea and Israel as a subscription service. DogTV is expected to reach Britain, Ireland and France in the near future.