Dogs are affected by music and will respond with behaviors like barking, howling, or even signs of relaxation, so it appears that they enjoy it.
However, do dogs have a favorite genre, and what time of day do they enjoy listening to music the most?
The ears of a dog are, in fact, more sensitive than ours. Consequently, they will be able to hear the music you play.
But it also means that they can hear at higher frequencies than we can, so keep that in mind when you listen to music while your dog is nearby.
A dog’s hearing range falls between 47 and 44,000 Hz. Human hearing ranges, in contrast, range from 20 to 20,000 Hz.
Similar to humans, your dog can be calmed or energised by different types of music. And, many dogs show preferences for certain types.
Dogs do enjoy music, so perhaps the unsurprising response to this question is yes. They not only like it, but they also have musical tastes that are particular to their personalities!
When people play music for their dogs, they frequently notice behavioral changes in them, which prompts us to speculate about how the dogs feel about the music.
Reactions can include calm behavior, agitation, barking, howling, and more. In fact, howling is among the most frequent responses of dogs to music.
Online, there are countless videos of dogs howling to different songs. Owners observe their dog springing to their feet to join in the singing as soon as a particular song is played.
Stanley Coren of Canine Corner wrote in one of his articles that dogs have a sense of pitch and enjoy “singing.” Despite the fact that their concept of striking a musical note may differ greatly from ours
Although you may believe that a dog’s howling indicates pain, sadness, or agitation, that isn’t always the case.
For instance, wolves will purposefully howl at a higher pitch than other wolves. They make their voices stand out by making sure they are out of tune And dogs are known to howl in the same way.
According to Dr. Coren, it appears that music rich in wind instruments, like flutes, causes the most howling. Therefore, if your dog is howling along to some music you’re playing, it’s possible that they’re communicating through their own unique form of singing!
A study by psychologist Deborah Wells at Queen’s University in Belfast successfully demonstrated that dogs react differently to various musical genres.
Numerous studies have examined the use of music to promote relaxation and lower stress in dogs, especially in high-stress settings like shelters and veterinary clinics.
Numerous studies show that certain musical genres can make dogs feel more at ease. However, one study by Bowman (et al.) claimed that dogs could become habituated to certain types of music, which would mean they could grow accustomed to it and cease responding normally.
To lessen the likelihood of this, they advise varying the auditory enrichment. This means that you should play your pet various musical genres that have the same calming effect.
You can disappear down a YouTube rabbit hole of videos with dogs howling along to their owners’ favourite songs. Whether their owner is wailing away on a saxophone or cranking a tune on the radio, some dogs like to howl along. The reason isn’t because they necessarily love the song, it’s that it is at a pitch they understand and can communicate along with.
If you own a dog and are an audiophile, you probably wish your dog shared your taste in music. Your dog probably hears a blast of your music every day, whether you prefer the newest pop hits, country music, or the classics. However, what if your dog had the ability to request music? You might be surprised by their response.
When owners leave their dogs alone at home, some enjoy playing music for them. Despite how absurd it may seem, there seem to be some advantages to this. Some dogs experience anxiety when their owners leave them alone. Not only will background music make them feel less alone, but it can also help block out outside noises that might stress your dog out when they are alone.
Try the classics if you’re looking for the ideal music for your dog. And when we refer to the “classics,” we mean Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach performed at a moderate volume. Compared to faster-paced heavy metal music, which may agitate puppies, or regular pop music, which seems to have no effect on dogs, studies have shown that classical music has a calming effect.
Just keep in mind that a dog will always reflect its owner. Your dog will mimic your behavior if you become slightly more agitated or hyper when listening to a particular genre of music.
What kind of music should I leave on for my dog?
Now that we are aware that playing music for your dog while you are away from them may be beneficial, what kind of music is the best to play for the best calming effects?
Numerous studies on the best musical genres for dogs to listen to have been conducted over the years by scientists and dog behaviorists. Some research into the genre of music that dogs enjoy most focuses on the pitch of the songs.
Here are some reasons why pitch matters when choosing the music you should play for your dog:
Have you ever questioned why, despite the fact that nearby dogs are unmistakably affected by dog whistles, you can’t even hear them?
The answer is straightforward: compared to human ears, dogs’ ears have a much wider range of audible frequencies and tones. However, a dog’s ability to process a wider variety of sounds has a cost; specifically, because they can hear a wide variety of sounds, it is more challenging for them to hear individual notes.
This means that some songs or musical genres won’t be particularly enjoyable for dogs to listen to because they find it difficult to distinguish between more subtle note and key changes in some types of music.
However, if the music is played at a pitch that dogs can understand, you may hear them howling along. Although it may seem like a viral fad, hearing dogs howl along to music on the radio actually has a very straightforward explanation.
They are communicating by howling along because they recognize the song’s pitch.
A dog’s response to a song is also influenced by how their owners respond to it. Do not be surprised if your dog becomes more animated during some songs than others in an attempt to imitate your behavior.
Therefore, it is evident that pitch is crucial when determining the type of music your dog will respond to.
We will now go through the music genres that dog owners should embrace and stay away from… But what about the types of genres that dogs like and, equally, dislike?
According to studies, classical music by composers like Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven can have a calming, beneficial effect on dogs. It has been demonstrated that classical music, if played at a low volume, can help dogs cope with stressful situations like storms, fireworks, or being left alone for the first time.
However, other research has demonstrated that the impact of classical music on dogs is only momentary.
It may be effective for a few days, but because classical music is repetitive, dogs soon grow accustomed to it and it loses its desired calming effects. For this reason, it is best to use classical music sparingly to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Another unexpected study revealed that dogs prefer soft rock and reggae, with Fleetwood Mac and Bob Marley among the artists who are well-liked in dog shelters!
Research from Glasgow University shows that dogs listening to reggae and soft rock had significantly lower stress levels than dogs listening to pop or Motown music based on heart rate measurements.
Reggae and soft rock are your best bet if your goal in playing music for your dog is to specifically help them feel more at ease.
Radio stations, app creators, and eccentric musicians have recently created a brand-new genre called “music for dogs.” Dog-specific music adapts the best elements of popular music genres dogs enjoy, like soft rock, reggae, and classical music, to make them ideal for calming your dog.
When creating music for dogs, factors like note length, tempo, rhythm, and tone simplicity are all taken into consideration. As a result, you can be sure that the music played has a low chance of upsetting your dog or losing its effectiveness in the future.
Why Do Dogs Howl to Music?
You may get a kick out of seeing your pooch croon along to Adele, but why does he do it? No one knows for sure, but dogs may howl to music for the same reason they do it when they hear sirens: It sounds like another dog howling and their instinct is to join in.
Adele sounds like a dog? Well, not to people, but dogs hear a much wider range of sounds than people do. They hear tones far above and below what the human ear can detect, so we dont know exactly what things sound like to them.
According to Radosta, howling is typically a call for the pack to assemble, which may also explain why dogs who are experiencing separation anxiety do it as well.
FAQ
Do dogs prefer music or silence?
Research indicates that when dogs are stressed, music may help. A seminal study in 2002 compared how shelter dogs reacted to conversation, silence, heavy metal, pop, and classical music. Researchers discovered that dogs could be calmed by classical music.
What is the best music to leave on dogs?
According to the study, while classical music initially had a calming effect on the dogs, after a few days they started to get bored. Reggae and soft rock, on the other hand, were found to be the best genres for lowering stress levels, heart rates, and barking.
Do dogs sound like left alone?
Many people turn on the radio before leaving their dog alone for a few hours to prevent their pet from feeling abandoned. However, recent data suggests that they might prefer a little quiet.
Do dogs get sad when left alone?
When dogs become upset because they are separated from their guardians—the people to whom they are attached—this results in separation anxiety. Especially near exit points like windows and doors, extreme escape attempts by dogs with separation anxiety can lead to self-harm and property damage.