Music is one of the most powerful forces which not only can affect human’s emotions but also can alter a dog’s mood. According to some studies playing music can reduce the stress of the dogs. If your dog reacts to every noise, or it makes him nervous, or he scares during the thunderstorms or fireworks, playing some form of music can relieve his stress. But which type of music, this is what we are going to talk about in this post. In this post, we will talk about the best music to play for dogs to reduce their anxiety. So, let’s get started!
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How to Use Music to Calm Your Anxious Dog
As we use music therapy to help with the sleep disorder, it can also be used for puppies or adult dogs.
Which Types of Music is the Best for Dogs
Not all music genres are equally shooting for your dog; according to The Washington Post, Reggae and soft rock are the most relaxing music for the dogs in shelters. Moreover, classical music also helps to reduce the stress in dogs when they are alone.
Also, as per the study published in the Journal of Physiology and Behavior on Science Direct, dogs prefer the sound of reggae or soft rock more than any other genre. This study was conducted by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on shelter dogs with the six-hour playlists of five different genres of music, including classical, soft rock, reggae, pop, and Motown. The researchers took the notes of their heart rate, cortisol levels, and behaviors while the dogs were listening to that playlists; it measures the stress level.
Where to Find the Best Music for my Dog
There are two most popular music recordings available – Canine Lullabies and Through a Dog’s Ear on Amazon, you can also check them out. Whether you have an anxious dog or puppy who fears of thunder/loud noises, this music can help you to cope with the situations.
YouTube also offers many different options for calming dog music. I have tried and tested dozens of music on my pets, and I stumble upon to the below video.
You can see how a puppy slept instantly when his owner plays the music. The music played in this video is part of an album, which comes with 9 hours of dog’s music along with an EBook (how to solve dog anxiety). I have tested this as well and found it quite useful.
When to Play Calming Music for My Dog
There are lots of advantage of playing music for your dogs; it can help them:
- Whenever they are alone.
- When your puppy spends time in his space, such as in a crate, safe space, or puppy zone.
- When they have a hard time sleeping.
- While riding in the car to cope with anxiety.
- During the adjustment period, when you bring a new puppy home.
- During the medical examination at the veterinary clinic.
Can Playing Music Prevent My Dog from Barking
Yes, if your dog barks at every noise, you can mask this sound with music, it helps. You can also use a white noise machine or just turn on the fan to diminish that sound. These little things desensitize your dog and make him learn to remain calm in a bit noisy environment.
How to Use Music to Train My Dog to Get Used to Scary Sounds
However, desensitizing a dog isn’t a quick task. It requires patience and, sometimes, a professional’s help. If your dog scare of thunder or firework sound, you have to introduce that sound positively. It means you can combine these triggering sounds in music tracks with low volume, which will train your dog not to react. A professional dog trainer Victoria Stilwell, partnered with Through a Dog’s Ear to create audio track that includes the fireworks, thunderstorms, and city sound within the music. This method works if you want to desensitization your dog to these sounds.
My dogs love music, whenever I play it they sit and relax. I often play music play when they are alone, it really helps and avoids distractions.