It turns out that dogs can watch television and follow the plot

Scientists in the US have found that dogs can indeed watch television - and even follow the plot, reports Fox News.

A new study conducted at Auburn University has shown that dogs are actually capable of perceiving television content and even actively responding to it. While older televisions didn't interest animals due to their low refresh rate, creating a flickering effect that was poorly perceived by canine vision, modern high-definition screens with high frame rates provide pets with a completely different visual experience.

Researchers surveyed more than 650 dog owners, developing a special tool for this purpose - a dog television viewing scale that included 16 questions. More than 450 participants reported that their pets show interest in television, each in their own way.

According to the data obtained, dogs react most strongly to other animals, especially members of their own species or wild animals. Some dogs physically track the movement of objects on the screen and even try to look beyond it, as if expecting the image to continue in reality. They also often react to inanimate objects, such as cars or doorbells, as well as human voices.

Interestingly, parameters such as age, gender, breed, or neutering did not significantly affect dogs' television behavior. Individual personality played a much bigger role. Excitable dogs more often follow what's happening on the screen, while fearful ones are especially sensitive to sudden sounds and conflict scenes, so they do this less frequently.

Scientists note that television can serve not only as background noise for pets but also as a source of entertainment or even a means of stress relief, especially when alone. Some streaming services already offer specially developed video content for pets.