DOGTV
Dog TV, a 24-hour channel that keeps your dog company while you are at work, has been launched in the US http://abcnews.go.com

A television network designed to keep stay-at-home dogs entertained while their owners are at work has launched in the United States.

Dog TV, an on demand channel described as a new breed of programming, made its debut earlier this year on cable networks in California.

According to its creators, the unique network helps reduce the separation anxiety and loneliness that some canines experience once they are left alone during the day.

The channel, which is said to be the first of its kind, claims to also curb excessive barking and other destructive behaviour frequently displayed by lonely and bored dogs.

Dr Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Massachusetts and a member of Dog TV's scientific advisory board, said: "There are numerous dogs, 80 million in the United States, many of whom are spending long hours alone, up to and even more than eight hours a day. And in that vacuum, devoid of human company, they have pretty much nothing to do."

The channel, which has content specifically tailored for dogs, has apparently already gone down a treat with pooches.

Dodman said that even the sound, colours and camera angles have been adjusted to make them more appealing to man's best friend.

"We know that dogs are kind of red-green colour blind. So the colours have been adjusted and augmented to be more appealing to dogs.

"Auditorially, we know that, especially for the relaxation phase of Dog TV, they appreciate more melodic sounds and music, preferably single instruments played in slightly slower rhythms, perhaps trained to biological rhythms like respiration.

"And content, we know they like looking at other dogs. They like looking at people. They like motion, like balls being kicked around, frisbees and stuff. So all of that has been brought to bear," Dodman added.

There are currently plans to expand the Dog TV worldwide into countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom and some countries in Europe.

Dodman added: "It is important for folk to realize that Dog TV is not just a gimmick. There is actually a lot of scientific data that has gone into constructing the programming and it's not even a stationary medium."

Dogtv.com currently streams online 24 hours a day for a monthly fee.