All times Eastern

SUNDAY, FEB. 8

America's Top Dog

A & E, 8 p.m., 10 p.m.

This two-hour special features competitions for family pets and all sorts of dogs. Grading canine contestants’ intelligence, appearance and talent, the judges’ panel includes an animal-behavior specialist and a dog psychologist.

MONDAY, FEB. 9

New Season Preview

EWTN, 2:30 p.m.

Doug Keck introduces EWTN's new schedule of shows for the spring, interviewing the program hosts and presenting special guests. Re-airs Tuesday at 11 a.m. and 11:30 p.m., Thursday at 3:30 a.m. and Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 9

Roman War Machine

History Channel, 8 a.m., 2 p.m.

In four hour-long segments, this documentar y traces ancient Rome's rise from city to empire, focusing on battles with neighbors, internal factions, barbarian tribes and nations throughout Europe and the Mediterranean world.

TUESDAY, FEB. 10

Nova: Descent Into the Ice

PBS, 8 p.m.

They call them “glacionauts” — brave souls otherwise known as glacier-hazard specialists. Risking their lives, two experts search the ice caves inside France's Mont Blanc for concealed lakes that could endanger the populated areas below the famed mountain. One such lake burst without warning in 1892 and killed 200 people.

TUESDAYS

Innovation

PBS, 9 p.m.

Airing on most Tuesdays into May, this new series focuses on cutting-edge technology, competition and politics. Tonight's debut episode, “Building to Extremes,” shows how new construction materials are fueling mankind's impulse to build ever-taller structures. Two future topics: Medical advances such as neural implants for sight and osseointegration for bone problems, and the history and current status of technology for spying.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11

Tunneling Under the Alps

Discovery Channel, 10 p.m.

Hannibal and his Carthaginian army and elephants went over the Alps to attack the Romans, but modern man is going under them to build roads and speed up commerce.

FRIDAY, FEB. 13

The Man Who Wagged His Tail

Familyland TV, 8 p.m.

Released in the United States in 1961, this Italian-Spanish film fantasy from 1957 stars Peter Ustinov as a nasty slumlord who learns his lesson when he gets turned into a dog. Also stars Silvia Marco. For information on Family-land TV, visit www.familyland.org.

SATURDAY, FEB. 14

Cartoon Valentines

ABC, 8 p.m.

On the feast of St. Valentine, enjoy these animation treats. In A Charlie Brown Valentine at 8 p.m., “the round-headed kid” asks a little girl to dance. In Winnie the Pooh, A Valentine for You at 8:30 p.m., Christopher Robin makes a Valentine.

Dan Engler writes from Santa Barbara, California.