A question often asked by dog owners is whether dogs enjoy music.
Many people like to believe that having the radio on or playing music will keep their pets happy whilst they are not at home. But can we really keep them entertained with music whilst we are not there? And do they enjoy a sing along in the kitchen with us?
In the wild, wolves howl to assemble their pack and reinforce the identity of the group. Research has shown that each tune created by the wolf will differ to others in the pack. They may be ‘singing’ together, but each wolf will try to be on a different note to others. This shows that dogs do have a sense of pitch.
Research shows that animals do respond to music. But, an animal will prefer music which matches the pitches, tones and tempos which are familiar to that particular species. Therefore music that sounds good to us will not sound good to monkeys, as the sounds we produce differ to those of a monkey. Interestingly, the sounds produced by big dogs are quite similar to human males. With this, it is reasonable to suggest that dogs can also appreciate human music.
However, different genres of music can have an entirely different affect on dogs. Studies have shown that dogs have a lack of interest towards pop music. Whereas heavy metal music will increase barking substantially, showing signs of agitation. The best results come from classical music, which appears to relax dogs.
Although dogs may be able to appreciate classical music in some way, dogs respond better to music with simplified arrangements with lower frequencies. Scientists have created ‘dog’ music with arrangements better suited to them. This type of music has been seen to have great affects on dogs, calming them and entire kennels.
Whilst dogs may not share your love for the top 20 charts, it is true that dogs can have some appreciation of music. The right kind of music can relax dogs and even make them happy. When playing music at home for your dog, classical music can have a positive impact. But for best results, especially to calm your dog when not in your presence, purchase some doggy music.