TV Channel Goes to The Dogs

Ironically, it all started with a cat.

Like many pet owners, Ron Levi felt guilty leaving his pet cat, Charlie, home alone all day when he went to work. He wanted to do more than just turn on the television, so he made a video loop featuring cat-centric clips of birds and squirrels.

Charlie was enthralled, and Levi was inspired. He launched a PetTV channel that he eventually pared down to a single focus — a 24/7 digital TV channel dubbed DOGTV. Specifically tailored to dogs, the channel's aim is to combat the loneliness that can come from being alone all day. It launched nationwide on DirecTV in August 2013 after a yearlong incubation period in San Diego. Owners can also stream the channel online at DOGTV.com for $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year.

"We've been bombarded with all kinds of people telling us how wonderful it is for their dog," says Dr. Nicholas Dodman, director of the animal behavior department of clinical services at Tufts University. Dodman helped Levi determine the programming, which is based on more than 50 studies about how canines perceive the world. "Before DOGTV, I used to have people put on Animal Planet, turn the volume down, and then play a separate disc of bioacoustic music," Dodman says. "Now you have the whole thing in one package."

Viewers regularly send photos of their dogs watching the channel, which has more than 81,000 fans on Facebook. There are no talking heads or ads on DOGTV, and sound and color are optimized to provide the best experience for canines. (USA Today)