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Are Dogs Actually Watching Television When They Stare At The TV?

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Ever notice your dog staring at the television and wonder if they see what you see? Carol Erickson of the Pennsylvania SPCA explains what dogs see when they are looking at the television on this week's CBS3 Pet Project.

Erickson says dogs can watch TV and the high-definition televisions make it easier for them because it doesn't flicker like the old ones.

Tufts University Vet School studied the dogs watching television and found they watch about, "13 percent of the time actively watched" which balances out to about an hour a day.

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"Some dogs think there is another dog in the room with them so they will run around to the back of the television trying to figure out where that dog is," said Erickson.

The type of show you are watching can impact the dog's emotions. Erickson adds that if you have a violent show on where they might see angry faces, it can upset them.

Experts recommend that if your dog is watching television you should put it on mute so the sounds, like a siren, don't agitate them.

And with only 2 days until Christmas it's not too late to visit the PSPCA and adopt a cute furry friend looking for a fur-ever home. Click here for more information.

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