Is the Dog Watching TV? Is it Good For Bonding With Kids?

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Many dogs love watching the television. It's noisy and flashes lots of interesting scenes before their eyes. Like humans,' dogs also may like to see what's going on. But is your dog really watching TV with your kids? Is this good for their bond?

According to some experts, dogs cannot make out the images on older televisions. But if you've got a certain kind of HDTV or other newer television, your dog can make out the images very clearly, including recognizing other dogs.

I'm not a scientist, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that our dogs watch TV intently, often with the kids. They have a very clear preference for anything with dogs in it. They also enjoy anything that is very musical.

When our dogs watch TV with the kids, this does seem to help their bond. This is because they are often cuddling or sitting in someone's lap. Obviously, snuggling and cuddling are very good for bonding. Therefore, watching TV can be added to the list of things your child can do to bond with your dog.

When using television for bonding, remember that, while it's good for bonding, it should be practiced in moderation. Just liek you don't want to expose your kids to large amounts of television, the same is true for your dogs. In addition to bonding during television-watching, your child can also do other activities with the dog.

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