Gus: TV Addict

[Islander]

It's not like I watch a lot of TV! Just an hour or two in the evening (except for major sporting events or world crises).

But Gus has become totally hooked on watching whatever is on. It started with ads featuring cute animals (ever notice how many of those there are?) - and I had to work on getting him not to charge the screen.

Now he will sit quietly engrossed in just about anything - Jeopardy, mattress ads, you name it. My BF thinks that the high definition makes it more real to him.

OK, TV is one thing, we've gotten him to just sit and watch, but he is also fascinated by the computer when videos are on - and even after I close the laptop he is fixated on it, wondering where the pictures went.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

[bradl]

Yes, Dundee is very much a TV watcher. He sits on my legs to get a good view. I get a view of the back of his head. He runs up the TV and holds a 'point' every time we pause live TV or DVR playback. Then he barks at it when it starts back up again. And he *hates* violence, fighting, and arguing on TV. He always charges the TV to break it up.

[shergry]

We found that when hockey is on.....the quick movement.....the furkids loved to watch. They are entertained for a moment or two...then the cat starts watching and nothing get him away from the tv. Hmmmm...being as it is a guy.......well girls you know what I mean.

So cool to think that maybe...just maybe our furkids are learning something from the tv. hahaha

[Hawkeye]

Gus is really engrossed in his tv - he's so cute!!

[Lynn in TN]

Very cute. Love those pictures!

Kelly watches very little tv so maybe it is a guy thing! hehehe

Kelly barks at the fireworks on tv shows or commercials. She will watch other animals but if any of these aren't present she has no interest.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Lynn in TN

[hheldorfer]

The only time Buffy pays attention to the TV is when there's a dog barking/wolf howling. Now if there was smell-o-vision . . .

[_whits_]

Addie is completely unimpressed by the TV. She does not like being ignored or left out and I think she believes the TV is to blame for both. But she does curl up next to anyone when they're watching TV - even though her favourite room is across the house looking out over the backyard. Usually she completely ignores the TV. Sometimes she just seems confused as to where the noise is coming from.

That being said, when she was a little tiny puppy she always came running whenever she heard a baby cry on the television. I think it's because with her foster family she spent a lot of time with a newborn.

I've been watching Euro 2012 this summer and the sounds of football seem to confuse her. A couple of times she's jumped up when the crowd gets particularly loud, and she looks around trying to figure out where the noise is coming from (can't seem to work out it's the TV). And during halftime today a car horn was honking in a commercial and she went racing to the front door in full on guard bark mode. And then gave me a look of complete confusion when no one was there.

[Islander]

Hmmm...so Dundee & Gus are the addicts. It really must be a "guy thing". My partner will get a laugh out of that.

In the shot of the tennis game, Gus was totally following the ball. Too funny.

Don't like the nose prints on the flat screen though!

[Zekey's Mom]

I'm so jealous that your guys watch TV with you. Hilarious that Dundee points and barks when the playback is paused!!

The only thing Zekey does is perk up the instant I turn off the TV at night -- it makes a a little click sound. That means it's time for bed, and more importantly, his bed time treat!

[KShep]

Ripley seems to be watching the tv at times, but I think that's just where her gaze goes. Not a lot of interest, just a focal point. She does tilt her head for just about every animal sound. But she does like tv time, because it means snuggles. Maybe it's a guy thing like you said!

[utgaard]

Loki is another TV watcher. He does bark at most animals on screen and once chased a dog across the screen and around to the side of the TV before he lost him. He also barks when the soundtrack is being used to increase the tension in a scene - a long dark hallway, a hand reaching for the door knob (bark), the creaky door opens (bark bark), the murderer is revealed (Loki curls up in my lap and goes back to sleep).

[jodi0553]

Finn gets fixated on TV sometimes. Also, up on the couch, he fixates on the pointer of my mouse on my laptop screen. Not so great when he tries to grab it in his mouth. I tried some youtube videos of bugs buzzing around to se what he'd do and he went bonkers. Of course, he can also spend an hour staring at a moth thru the window trying to get to the living room light, so I think he just generally watches moving things. I got a great video a few weeks ago of him going crazy at a commercial, will see if I can find and post to this topic later!

[Malcolm's Dad]

Gus is so cute. If we still had the TV remotes with the chimes they could change the channels with the Cairn screech.

[_whits_]

I find it hilarious that so far it's the male dogs who like TV and the girls who can't be bothered.

[Idaho Cairns]

Neat, the dog looks absolutely engrossed in the television shows. Ours almost never pay attention--door bells and some barks on television get their attention sometimes.

[Lynn in TN]

So it is obviously a guy thing even with pets. LOL

I am laughing so hard. I can't help it, and I can't believe it.

[bradl]

Harrumph.

[kjwarnold]

I came home from work one day at lunch and heard voices from inside my condo. I couldn't figure out who was talking, thought maybe my parents had come for a surprise visit. When I went in, my first Cairn (Willie) was laying on the couch with the remote next to him, watching TV. I swear it was off when I went to work that morning! Guess he didn't want to miss his soaps...like General Animal Hospital!

[Tuesday]

Murphy sometimes watches, and other times he's oblivious. Then in true Cairn fashion, he'll see something and either stand up and bark, bark, or lunge and bark. Luckily our television sits up high and he can't attack it.

Is that a stuffed chicken by your television?

[Islander]

It's a papier-mache chicken. Oddly enough, Gus has never showed the slightest interest in it.

[Dempsy's Mom]

Demps is not interested in TV. I think it is so cute that you guys have little TV addicts. Now you must put them on a schedule - to make sure they get off their rumps and exercise - no snacking while you're watching TV. Couch Cairns.

I'll have to ask Demps tonight if he'd like to watch a little boob tube with me.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Dempsy's Mom

[_whits_]

Harrumph.

But look at his lovely coat! I'd stare at the back of Dundee's head all day. It seems like you don't have much of a choice.

[Islander]

Last night I got so frustrated with Gus repeatedly charging the TV every time a particular commercial came on - featuring a computer animated deer, squirrel and rabbit - that I threw my (soft) slippers at him. (Remembering the ball cap chuckers.)

He was totally shocked, gave me THAT LOOK, and took himself upstairs to bed (usually doesn't go up without me).

I ended up going up and carrying him back down. We cuddled on the couch for the rest of the evening.

Cairns!

[Dempsy's Mom]

Haha. You will never win.

[TazTalk]

Okay ... Add Taz to the male TV watcher list. A little Venus and Mars thIng? Taz now recognizes some of the songs for the dog commercials - like Travelers - and he'll run in from another room when he hears it. Love the pics of Gus.