DogTV
I’m toying with the idea of subscribing to DogTV. In case you (or your pooch) have not heard, that’s canine cable, a station designed for dogs to watch while their owners are out doing human activities.
DogTV features hours of dog-appropriate footage (like dogs romping, napping or riding in cars) alternating with nature shots (like a slug crawling across a patio), with a dog-friendly soundtrack. (How they determine that dogs prefer Louis Armstrong to Aerosmith is beyond me.)
The thing is, I think Oliver’s programming needs are already being met.
Currently, his favorite shows are ball-related. In fact, though its doubtful that it’s genetic, he shows a fascination with balls that I have only seen in one other creature: The human Oliver calls Dad. If there is an event involving a ball being televised anywhere in the world, Tom will watch it, and Oliver is the beneficiary of his obsession.
When Tom is not home and we are in an ESPN-free zone, Oliver will tolerate the Food Network (which I watch while exercising), although his attention wanders. Ina Garten’s recent lesson on roasting a beef filet had us both riveted, but she lost him with the gorgonzola sauce.
There are some shows for which Oliver has absolutely no patience. When I’m watching the PBS News Hour, Oliver will indicate his boredom by farting. On more than one occasion, he has subtly rolled over on the remote, sending the TV into a whirl of channel-switching that ended with the NBA playoffs.
Anyway, while I might prefer watching a slug parade to a Clippers game, I don’t think that’s the case with Oliver. The other day, when I was checking out DogTV’s programming samples, I was more mesmerized by the puppy footage than my dog was.
The fact is, after an especially gnarly day—don’t ever visit the dentist, back your car into a telephone pole and make lasagna in the same 24-hour period—I found DogTV relaxing, like watching a much cuter lava lamp. As I watched a poodle riding a surf board, a terrier wrestle a Jack Russell, a beagle gaze heavenward at drifting clouds, thoughts of tooth and bumper repairs and the recipe from hell lost their edge.
Oliver, however, was more intrigued by the neighbor’s Chihuahua nightly bark fest, and raced outside to respond.
Anyway, maybe I will subscribe to DogTV—for myself. At $9.99 a month, it’s a cheap way to chill.
I only hope Oliver hasn’t yet heard that Obama, while living in Indonesia, acquired a taste for Jack Russell and chips! Or was it sweet and sour Greyhound
I only hope Oliver hasn’t yet heard that Obama, while living in Indonesia, acquired a taste for Jack Russell and chips! Or was it sweet and sour Greyhound?
Isn’t it great that at this stage of life there are still life-changing discoveries to be made! I may subscribe to DogTV. We lost our family dog and I miss every day, but I don’t miss the hair,etc. With DogTV you get the cuteness sans smell, guilt and expense. Very good.
Good idea, Jessica, but I hope your TV set’s got a good “woofer”!
P.S. For the soundtrack, I would myself suggest “I wanna be your dog” by The Stooges, but I fear this number might excite our four-legged friends a little bit too much…
I’ve been making that Ina recipe for years; absolutely foolproof and decadently delicious!
hee hee!
Go for it!
We were watching DogTV the other day in work.
The relaxation programming was brilliant.
At $10 I’d get it if I had a dog and lived in the US
Hi Jessica!
I have a facebook friend with a female goldie, whose name, (No word of a lie) is BACON! Bacon can’t have kids but she and Oliver would make an adorable couple! Sadly, they live in Indiana. Not that Indiana is a bad place. Hardly, it looks quite nice from what I’ve seen. But it’s still a bit of a commute from California. If Oliver is into Facebook, I can ask Martha if Bacon is looking for a boyfriend. 🙂
P.S. Forgot to ask….. I’ve taken to creating a CUTE collection for Bacon, her feline half sis, Moxie and assorted cute characters. Would you or Oliver mind if Oliver was added to the group. Maybe I can get a virtual romance going between him and Bacon.