Do dogs understand that the things they see on a TV screen aren’t really there? It’s a principle that eludes more than a few humans; why should dogs be any different? Even so–two-dimensional images in a three-dimensional world… It can’t be easy for our pets.
These Aussie dogs here only watch TV when dogs are barking on screen. They usually seem to think it is a call for them to get outside and look for that dog to chase and bark at.
Dogs are very social, so when they see a dog on screen, they want to meet it, sniff it, and perhaps do some running, jumping, etc. I noticed that some of these dogs looked behind the TV, but then again, dogs have never been good with electronics.