We’ve known for a good while that music has a profound effect on humans. it can improve memory and help to lower anxiety and depression but what about your dog? Do dogs enjoy listening to music as much as we do? Well, there hasn’t been a lot of work done on that one but there is evidence that dogs may be comforted, as in feeling less stressed or anxious when they’re listening to classical music.
The Sydney School of Veterinary Science had a look at all this in 2020 and yes, the classical did soothe dogs, in typically stressful surroundings like veterinary hospitals, boarding kennels and rescue shelters rather than houses.
Mind you, not all classical music has the same effect. Loud sounds in can actually cause stress. The dogs also seem to have specific musical tastes. In 2023 the journal Animal Welfare found that heavy metal music caused stress in shelter dogs. Also, you’ve probably heard of “dog music.”
There are free playlists on YouTube, but that 2020 study pretty much rubbished that idea: the dogs didn’t seem any more chilled with the specialized music compared to regular classical music. If you‘d like to try soothing your dog with music, watch how it behaves with different tunes playing. Also you’d want to make sure you don‘t have the volume too loud.
Last but not least, check to see if your pet avoids rooms with music altogether. That could be a sign that your dog likes a bit of peace and quiet to calm its nerves. Although taking him out for a good pee on every single lamppost in the district and maybe a good sniff of a few other dogs’ bottoms will probably have the same effect.
