So, look at your dog for cues as to whether or not they are enjoying the music you’re playing.īowman’s 2015 study found that soft rock and reggae genres were actually indicative of lowest stress levels in dogs studied, although all musical genres studied had a positive effect. The Bowman (et al) study mentioned earlier acknowledges that dogs have mixed reactions to different types of music. So, it’s a safe bet to play this genre for your dog when trying out their reaction to new music.īut, classical music isn’t the only genre that can have a positive impact on your dog’s behavior and mental state. Studies have shown almost conclusively that most dogs enjoy classical songs. If you want your dog to simply relax and feel good, try playing him some Beethoven or Mozart. This theory that classical music is most relaxing for dogs has been supported by many other studies. When the dogs were exposed to pop music like Britney Spears or played recordings of humans talking to one another, they had little to no reaction at all. On the other hand, when classical music was played, their moods shifted and they were much calmer and more relaxed. In the study, shelter dogs who listened to heavy metal or grunge music began barking and showing signs of agitation. Wells’ study, mentioned above, looked at dog reactions to several different genres. So, this means playing your pet different types of music that have the same relaxing effect! They suggest that auditory enrichment should be varied to reduce the chance of this. But, one by Bowman (et al) has suggested that dogs can become habituated to certain types of music, meaning they can become accustomed to it and may stop responding as normal. Many studies support that certain types of music can help dogs feel more relaxed. Several studies have focused on using music to increase relaxation and reduce stress in dogs, particularly in stressful environments like shelters and veterinary hospitals. So, if your dog is howling along to some music that you’re playing, they may be communicating through their own type of ‘singing’! The ResearchĪ study conducted by Deborah Wells, a psychologist at Queen’s University, Belfast effectively showed that dogs behave differently when exposed to different genres of music.īut Wells isn’t the only person to investigate this. Coren, the music that induces the most howling seems to be music ripe with wind instruments such as flutes. This is quite different to singing to fit a particular tune as humans do.Īccording to Dr. And dogs are known to howl in the same way. By ensuring they are not in tune, their voices stand out.
Wolves, for example, howl deliberately at a pitch different to that of other wolves. Whereas you may think that howling is a sign of pain, sadness, and agitation in a dog, that’s not always true. Although their idea of hitting a musical note may be much different to ours. As soon as a certain song is played, owners see their dog leaping to their feet to join in with the singing!Īccording to an article by Canine Corner’s Stanley Coren, dogs have a sense of pitch and enjoy “singing”. There are hundreds of videos online of dogs howling along to various songs. In fact, howling is one of the most common ways that dogs react to music.īut, different dogs will react differently. Reactions can include calm behavior, agitation, barking, howling, and more. Many people that play music for their pups notice changes in their behavior, which leads us to make assumptions about their feelings towards the music. And not only do they enjoy it, they have musical preferences unique to their own personalities! Perhaps the unsurprising answer to this question is yes! Dogs do enjoy music. And, many dogs show preferences for certain types. Just like humans, certain types of music can calm your dog while others can hype them up. In comparison human hearing ranges vary from as low as 20 to 20,000 Hz. So, they will be able to hear the songs that you play.īut, it also means they can hear at higher frequencies than we can, so when you listen to music with your dog around, it’s important to remember this.Ī dog’s hearing range falls between 47 and 44,000 Hz. It’s true that a dog’s ears are more sensitive than our own. Do dogs like music? It seems that they do! Dogs are affected by music and will react with behaviors like barking, howling, or even signs of relaxation.īut do dogs prefer a specific genre? And when do they like to listen to music the most? Read on to find out.
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