Maltese

　　We often see netizens sharing photos of their dogs watching various ball games on TV. If a dog likes ball games, it will be very focused, and some will even rush to the TV to "paw" at it a few times. But not all dogs show this reaction. What is the reason for this?

　　Dogs have better flicker perception than humans, which aligns with the idea that dogs are more sensitive to motion than people. This also answers a common question: why do most dogs show no interest in the TV, even when other dogs appear on screen? The reason is that typical TV screens refresh images 60 times per second, above the human flicker perception threshold of 55 Hz, making the images appear as continuous and smooth visuals to humans. However, dogs can perceive flicker at 75 Hz, so the images on TV appear less real to them and cause them to pay less attention to the TV screen.

　　If the content is interesting enough, some dogs seem to respond to the appearance of other dogs or changing images on the screen regardless of flicker. Moreover, advances in technology have increased the number of TV-loving dogs. High-definition digital TVs have higher refresh rates, reducing flicker perceived by dogs. Consequently, more owners report that their dogs are highly interested in animal movements shown on "nature programs" on TV. However, although dogs react to real dogs or fast-moving animals on TV, they show no interest in cartoon dogs. This sometimes surprises owners. This difference proves how clear and precise dogs view moving images. When dogs see cartoon dogs, they recognize something is moving, but the way cartoon characters and live animals move is different. Therefore, dogs see something moving but know it is not a real dog or other animal.

　　Nowadays, abroad there are TV channels made specifically for dogs, designed to help dogs dispel loneliness by watching TV when their owners are not around.