My Pet World: If barking at the TV bugs you, give your dog something else to do
These reader questions were answered by veterinary behaviorist Dr. Melissa Bain, Associate Professor of Clinical Animal Behavior at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Bain is a contributing author to "Decoding Your Dog: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Dog Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones," authored by various members of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and edited by myself, Dr. Debra Horwitz and Dr. John Ciribassi (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, NY; $27). The book explains why dogs think as they do and answers some common, and very uncommon, behavior questions. (To learn more about veterinary behaviorists, or to find a specialist near you, check www.dacvb.org.)
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Q: Jack Russell's are crazy, and mine even watches TV. Not all shows, mind you -- only things like fast-moving football games. He also barks at dogs on TV. He must know they're not real, or does he? -- H.J., Chicago, IL
A: If he's watching the Chicago Bears play, he's not currently watching fast-moving football, but that's another issue!
"I had a dog who did this (barked at the TV) and I don't believe he was crazy, just likely having fun," says Bain. "I believe dogs know that what's on TV isn't real. They realize that TV shows don't respond to the dog's barking, or smell like anything that's real."
Some people suggest pets are watching more TV now that screens tend to be larger and feature higher definition, but Bain isn't so sure.
If the behavior bothers you, offer your dog an alternative form of entertainment, such as a chewie to chomp on, or a toy stuffed with low fat, low salt peanut butter or dog treats. Or you could turn off the TV and open a book!
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Q: My dog, Molly, snaps at nothing. She'll be in the back yard and see something (or not), then snap and snap at the air. She does this many times every day, mostly outdoors. What's going on? -- J.P., Fort Lauderdale, FL
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