Pet subject

Every dog has its day. And this is certainly true in today8217;s context when television channels are dishing out a large variety of programmes on pets, especially dogs.

Written by PriyankaPereira

October 6, 2008 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

Every dog has its day. And this is certainly true in today8217;s context when television channels are dishing out a large variety of programmes on pets, especially dogs. From sharing your bed to sharing your car, sofa and even your life8217;s agonies and ecstasies, pets are a reason to smile when the chips are down. An integral part of your family, it is only justifiable that they get their share on satellite television too.

After gaining mass popularity the first time around, NDTV Good Times has now brought back its most popular show Heavy Petting. A show on pets and for pet lovers, it brings out the humanitarian side of Indians who own pets. 8220;Audiences are moved by realism and animals provide us real life experiences. They are sensitive, straight-forward creatures, who provide us opportunity to embrace and incorporate these necessary elements into our own lives,8221; says Seema Rahmani, the anchor. While the show talks about the joys and heartaches of owning a pet, it brings to the fore NGOs and quirky owners who have cats, dogs, turtles and even stranded pigeons as pets.

After all, pet shows on television provide you with a dose of edutainment. 8220;A lot of pet issues are behavioral and health-related. These shows provide helpful tips, answers to viewer queries, and useful tools to handle these issues,8221; says Rahmani. Similarly Victoria Stilwell roams around the streets of USA, training mischievous dogs on It8217;s Me or the Dog, Animal Planet. Many Indians took inspiration from her to do the same here. Aparna Khosla, a dog owner says, 8220;It is thanks to the show, I was able to train my little Pomeranian to follow certain commands. After all, well-trained dogs are liked by all.8221;

It isn8217;t just talk shows anymore reality shows for pets are getting popular by the day. Groomer Has It, a show hosted by Jai Rodriguez on Animal Planet, has 12 professional groomers cut and style their pet to achieve the title of Groomer of the Year. 8220;It is a lifestyle show for dog-owners, where dogs are trained to face the camera, helped to overcome shyness and are taught to put their best foot forward. It is for the modern viewer,8221; says Rajiv Bakshi, director, marketing and communications, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific.

In spite of the growing number of channels and pet shows, why is the focal point still on dogs? 8220;Dogs are a favourite pet in India,8221; reasons Bakshi. Nevertheless these shows have opened up people to embracing their pets and also street dogs as their own through various testimonies, stories and facts. Most of all it has developed a need for compassion. Vincent Machado, a veterinarian says, 8220;Television programmes on pets can only help people better their understanding on pets, their ailments, the kind of climate they require and also the various vaccinations they should undergo during their lifetime. Dog Whisperer on National Geographic did a good job of it.8221;

Owning a pet is easy, but it is pampering them the right way is what one needs to learn. And of late, television has been doing a good job of getting this one right.

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