Dogs become 'calm' every time 'Bluey' plays on TV — and experts may have an explanation for it
A recent Reddit post about two pitbull dogs suddenly calming down as the series 'Bluey' turns on the television made every internet user wonder about the kinds of effects it has on domestic dogs. The photo was posted by u/One-Sandwich2149, in which her two canines, Luna and Buddy, are sound asleep. The owner then shares the reason behind their peaceful slumber in the caption, saying, "I have two pitties, Luna and Buddy, and today is the first time I've been home alone with them for a long period of time. (I have a big family) They have been crazy hyper, with zoomies, bickering, and lots of barking.
My brother mentioned that Bluey was designed both for kids and for dogs...the second I turned it on, they both went right to sleep like they weren't full of energy. I don't know if it'll work for every dog, but I've gotten so much done since I put the show on. They've been so calm and cooperative, it's insane."
But this isn't the first time this Australian animated TV series has had a positive effect on a furry companion. As reported by ABC News, Madeline Carpou, a dog owner, has set this series as her go-to series whenever she wishes to calm her pet dog, Lilliput. One incident made Carpou realize how the series instantly changes her dog's mood. One day, when she was caught between two outings and had to leave Lilliput alone, she put on a 24/7 Bluey marathon on the television and gave Lilliput a chewy treat. Little did Carpou know that this trick would actually work wonders as she returned home five hours later to a happy and relaxed dog. She shared, "She greeted me as usual, then went straight back to the couch to get back to Bluey and her treat."
She even saw the series with Lilliput for half an hour and noticed how she was "totally zoned in." But what is the real reason behind this attentive behavior? According to a popular TikTok theory, Bluey features colors that are visible to dogs and hence, the reason why countless canines are attracted to it. Kate Mornement, an animal behaviourist, weighs in on this theory, sharing, "Dogs are not necessarily colour blind" as many individuals often believe. She further states, "But they are restricted to only seeing shades of grey, brown, yellow, and blue. It's because they have fewer [colour-sensing] cones in their eyes compared to humans, so they see a few less colours."
While the color palette of the series includes the majority of shades to be blue, yellow, and brown, the hues that are visible to the pets, Dr Mornement also shares another theory that could be the reason behind the canines' interest in the series. She shares, "Its invention has made it much easier for dogs to see the images on the screens, and so that's why they tend to be more interested these days than years gone past." The makers of the series, Ludo Studio, also shared with ABC that the new knowledge that dogs were not color-blind prompted them to "create a series with a colour palette and certain storylines as appealing to dogs as they were to parents and children."