Dogs are affected by sounds around them. Being a dog isn’t always easy and studies show that sound may have a greater impact on dogs than we think.
The branch of science that studies sound in nonhuman animals is called animal bioacoustics. It includes the study of the relation between environmental sound and animals. Joshua Leeds, a psycho acoustician with an interest in clinical studies of music for dogs, claims that auditory input may have a much larger impact on the psyche and body than most people think.
How Sounds Affect Dogs
Musical experts have found that one vibration can alter another and that external rhythms can speed up and slow down internal functions of the brain, heart and respiration of living things. Complex music increases energy while simple music has a relaxing effect. It has also been discovered that high pitched sounds stimulate the nervous system and low pitched sounds de-stimulate the nervous system, creating fatigue.
Leeds says, “When our auditory process is under or overwhelmed, or when we have difficulty processing sound properly, there can be multiple and far-reaching ramifications.”
Since studies have shown that music affects dogs and humans in much the same way, this suggests that dogs can also suffer stress from over stimulation in busy cities, hectic households, shelters and boarding kennels and perhaps react in negative ways such as house training accidents, barking too much, chewing, biting tendencies, and other behavior issues.
Soothing Music for Dogs
A research program conducted by Dr. Deborah Wells in 2002, studied the effects of five types of auditory stimulation on shelter dogs. They were human conversation, classical music, heavy metal music, pop music, and silence. This study revealed that heavy metal music caused the dogs to stand and bark more and that classical music caused them to rest more.
The BioAcoustic Research & Development project took her research a step further and studied the effects of different types of classical music on more than 150 dogs. Several of the dogs suffered various anxieties from sources such as thunderstorms, separation, children, and other pets. Reportedly, simple arrangements with a solo instrument and a slower tempo had the most soothing effect with 70% of anxiety behaviors reduced.
According to an msnbc.msn.com article, Alianna Boone played harp music for hospitalized dogs in Florida in 2000 and discovered that her tender strains lowered heart and respiration rates in many cases.
Music Selections for Dogs
Dogs, nowadays, are enjoying their very own music on CDs produced especially for them. Dog owners who want to sample tunes online can browse the titles below.
Music My Pet by Tom Nazziola
Music Dogs Love: While You Are Gone by Bradley Joseph
Harp of Hope by Diane Schneider
Through a Dog's Ear
Sound is a strong energy that affects people and animals in many of the same ways. Its potential can be used for a positive effect. Another way to soothe dogs is a good massage.
Sources:
Through a Dog's Ear Research
Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
Join the Conversation