The satellite provider DirectTV is beta testing a new channel, DogTV, that aims to keep canine pets company while owners are at work.

Launched earlier this month, the 24/7 DogTV will cost $4.99 a month and follows on the heels of years of research showing that canines become psychologically stressed when left alone for extended periods of time. Earlier this week, a British documentary was released showing that dogs left alone tend to exhibit separation anxiety and self-harm.

Endorsed by the president of the U.S. Humane Society and pet psychologists (see below), DogTV won’t be showing pooch-themed crime dramas or comedies, but rather a series of videos with soothing sounds and relaxing images. Some films display dogs playing on a beach or in a field, while others feature stimulating sounds from a city or visuals of people walking to and fro.

"It's more than just entertainment for dogs. We are creating more of an environment," Gilad Neumann, the chief executive of the Tel Aviv-based company, told Reuters "They are bored and many suffer from separation anxiety. What we are trying to do is to give dogs something to focus on in the background."

Neumann and his staff turned to renowned pet experts — Nicholas Dodman, Victoria Stilwell, and Warren Eckstein — to craft the content of DogTV to fit a pet’s needs.

A “Stimulating” Sample Of DogTV

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States

Prof. Nicholas Dodman, head of the animal behavior dept. at Tufts University, on the psychology behind DogTV’s content

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