DOGTV is an American premium cable television network and the first television network that is made specifically for dogs. The network was founded in equal parts by Ron Levi and Guy Martinovsky, its first CEO, that sold his shares later To Jasmine Group. DOGTV provides 24/7 digital TV programming that is designed to provide entertainment for dogs. The programming, created with the help of dog behavior specialists, is color-adjusted to appeal to dogs, and features 3-6 minute segments designed to relax, to stimulate, and to expose the dog to scenes of everyday life such as doorbells or riding in a vehicle. In 2012, the San Diego Humane Society in Escondido installed DOGTV for their shelter dogs.[1]

DOGTV
DOGTV logo
CountryUnited States
Programming
Picture format480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
History
LaunchedFebruary 13, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-02-13)
Links
Webcastwatch.dogtv.com
Websitewww.dogtv.com
Availability
Streaming media
Apple TVStreaming TV
Amazon Fire TVStreaming TV
RokuStreaming TV
Sling TVStreaming TV

Founding edit

The idea for DOGTV came from founder, Ron Levi[2] and his cat named Charlie. “He just gave me the saddest eyes one day,” Levi said of Charlie when he was leaving the house one day.[3] This prompted Levi to edit videos of squirrels, birds and fish for Charlie to enjoy while he was away.[4]

Launch edit

DOGTV initially launched in Israel. In February 2012, DOGTV launched in a test market in San Diego, California through Cox and Time Warner, where people and dogs were able to experience the channel for free.[5] The successful launch in this test market set the stage for a commercial launch nationwide on DirecTV.[6]

Programs edit

Source:[7]

DOGTV has three types of programs that cycle throughout the day.

Stimulation edit

Stimulation episodes show dogs playing in a field, graphics accompanied by engaging sounds and visits to the dog park from the dog's perspective.

Relaxation edit

Relaxation episodes play soft music, with calm scenes like animals at a safari, or dogs napping at home.

Exposure edit

Exposure episodes focus on potential sounds a dog might hear in common environments such as thunderstorms, vacuum cleaners and fireworks.

Available markets edit

DOGTV is available in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, South Korea, China, UK, Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S. the channel is available on DirecTV, Dish, Xfinity, Cox, RCN, Sling TV and supported streaming devices.

Supported devices edit

Supported DOGTV devices include:

Streaming media players edit

Smart TVs edit

Game consoles edit

Mobile edit

  • iOS mobile devices (10.x or higher)
  • Android mobile devices

Computer edit

Discovery partnership edit

In 2014 Discovery made a strategic investment in DOGTV, and became a minority stake holder in the company.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "ESCONDIDO: DogTV a hit with canine viewers at Humane Society". Sandiegouniontribune.com. 2012-04-12. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  2. ^ "Pass the remote, Rex: Meet the founder of DOGTV". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
  3. ^ "A TV Channel for Dogs -- Yes, Really -- Just Got Some Wagging Validation". Entrepreneur.com. 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  4. ^ "Don't press paws: how DogTV built a global TV channel for man's best friends". the Guardian. 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  5. ^ "Four-legged US viewers wag tails for DogTV channel". Reuters.com. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  6. ^ "A TV Channel Just for Pups? Dog TV Goes Nationwide". Parade.com. 2013-07-10. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  7. ^ "DogTV Aims to Help Dogs with Anxiety One Cable Company at a Time". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
  8. ^ "Discovery Acquires Stake in DogTV, a Network Aimed at Canine Viewers". Variety.com. 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2021-11-09.

External links edit