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I always tell people who buy pups from me or ones rescued and rehomed to keep TV or radio on so have human voices when we are gone helps reduce the seperation anxiety of being alone while the humans are gone. I know my dogs at times will sit and stare at TV.
Call me crazy, but before I leave for work, I workout, feed the dogs, give the dogs a very brief walk(30 minutes) and leave them with bones/toys and television until I come home, feed them and give them their longer walk(1 hr) for the day.
Do dogs really watch television? I know my fiance thinks I am nuts, but I leave it on Animal Planet for their amusement when I am not there! Any thoughts on this?
That's so cute, and they're lucky to have such a thoughtful parent!
We started leaving the TV on for our dog when we lived in an apartment, and since he got used to it we'll often leave it on when we go away. I actually think there are too many sad shows on Animal Planet (shows about abuse), and I don't want to upset my dogs, so I will put on HGTV or Bravo or something silly like that. I think they like the stimulation, and if they don't, they can go to another room.
Oh, and I don't think our rescue dog, Lanie, had ever seen a TV before we got her. We have a flat-screen mounted above the fireplace. The first time she heard dogs barking on TV she ran to the TV and started jumping around the fireplace, and looking around on both sides of the room trying to figure out where the dogs were hiding!!!
Dash was a huge TV watcher if the show had animals on it. He really liked dogs on TV the best and I have a photo of him watching agility on TV, I will see if I can find it. He also loved dog shows and it was funny as some of the dogs made him whine, bark a very joyful bark and jump up and run to the TV for a closer inspection. I am sure he thought of himself as a candidate for Best in Show...if only the AKC allowed mutts!
Dazzle watches some TV once again usually dogs on TV. Jazz finds TV a waste as there is so much else one could do with ones time when one is the queen!
I leave the radio on when I will be gone long and when I am gone for shorter periods I may leave the TV on as I think the sound of either is comforting to them.
I had 4 dogs of my own plus I fostered. Some watched it some didn;t. One of my own dogs would sit glued to the set when the Westminster Dog Show was on and would even reach for the television. If I ever changed the channnel - OMG the dirty looks I would get. The other one only liked those African safari shows and when the tigers were about to leap the gazelle she would get in the crouch position like they did.
One of my jack rusell fosers was nuts and saw a dog on a commerical and lept from the sofa over the coffee table (barking the whole way) and then slammed into the television to get the dog, never missed a beat of barking, got up and ran into the kitchen (it divided where the tv was) and looked around in there for a bit. That dog was nuts.
My little guy definitely watches TV. In fact, if we pause it, he goes nuts and starts barking at it and running around wildly. I think it is because he knows that isn't the normal state for the tv. We think it's pretty funny. He also gets really into the Dog Whisperer.
I think it's a great idea... and your not crazy...BUT...
I was always told not to do that.
What if something happened & TV caught on fire. I know that sounds weitd, but a friend of mine always let her TV on & a fan for her sweet furry babies.
She only went next door to the neighbors for awhile.
When she came back there was smoke in her house. Thank goodness she got the dogs & cats out, but what if she was gone longer.
Fire dept said it wasn't the TV it was the wall socket...causing the cords to get hot & melt, causing the smoke. This had never happened before to her.
Can you imagine if she was gone longer ???
Ever since, we don't leave anything on while were gone. No TV, no fans. If it's hot... I turn the AC done more before we leave.
Our babies just sleep anyway.
I totally agree with Sillypups! While mine are never alone for more than 2 hours, and that's even pushing it, nothing is on when we're gone. After my friends's mother's house burned down because of a faulty dryer that she left on and went out (all the pets died), I turn off the washer/dryer and dishwasher. Firefighters agree, appliances that heat up should never be left unattended. I can't imagine my house burning down with my dogs in it simply because I left the dishwasher on.
I totally agree with Sillypups! While mine are never alone for more than 2 hours, and that's even pushing it, nothing is on when we're gone. After my friends's mother's house burned down because of a faulty dryer that she left on and went out (all the pets died), I turn off the washer/dryer and dishwasher. Firefighters agree, appliances that heat up should never be left unattended. I can't imagine my house burning down with my dogs in it simply because I left the dishwasher on.
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I say beter safe than sorry.
We can all replace our home & material things...but we can't replace our beloved babies.
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Yes, they do watch TV
Call me crazy, but before I leave for work, I workout, feed the dogs, give the dogs a very brief walk(30 minutes) and leave them with bones/toys and television until I come home, feed them and give them their longer walk(1 hr) for the day. 
