Dog owners would probably want to know what their pets would choose to watch on TV if they knew how to use the remote control? American scientists tried to find out, but not for the sake of idle curiosity, but to find a more accurate way to assess the vision of their four-legged human friends.

As one of the authors of the study published in the journal said Applied Animal Behavior ScienceThe methods used today to evaluate a dog’s visual acuity are quite crude.

“If we were talking about a person, this would be equivalent to answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question of whether he or she is blind. More subtle methods of assessment, similar to vision charts, are needed,” explained Freya Mowat (Freya Mowat), veterinary ophthalmologist and professor in the Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison (USA).

From past research, scientists knew that dogs are attracted to moving images on a screen. The study’s authors suggested that the videos could hold dogs’ attention long enough to assess their visual function. All that remains is to understand which content attracts animals more.

For this, American veterinarians have created an online survey for dog owners to talk about their pets’ TV preferences. The survey included 41 questions on various topics. In addition to general information about dogs and their living conditions, owners were asked on which screen their pet watches videos (TV, laptop or other device), how it behaves and interacts with the screen, and what type of content they watch most often.

Additionally, study participants were offered to show pets four short videos in which various objects were moving: cars on the road, a cougar in the forest, a bird walking on the grass, and a dog walking with its owner. After viewing, it was necessary to evaluate the dogs’ interest in each video and how closely they followed the objects on the screen.

More than 1,200 dog owners were surveyed, mostly from the United States, but there were also participants from the United Kingdom, Canada and several other countries. The average age of their pets was four years; 54% were purebred and about half were female.

It turned out that most dogs watched videos on TV and behaved actively: 78% approached the screen, and 76% made sounds. Content about other animals attracted pets the most, and videos featuring other dogs were also the most popular.

The study also found that the dogs’ age and eyesight played a role in how often they responded to the video they were shown. In addition, age and gender also affected the interest in the screen. Representatives of Gritsik and sporting breeds seem to like the video more than other dogs.

The authors plan to continue the study based on the results obtained. The new study will focus on developing video techniques to assess dogs’ visual attention and its changes with age.

“We know that poor vision impairs the quality of life of older people. At the same time, it is almost unknown how aging and age-related vision changes affect dogs because we do not have accurate assessment methods. Dogs, like humans, are living longer and we want them to live healthier lives,” concluded Freya Mowat .