Study finds dogs dig classical music
So powerful in reducing stress, it even trumped effect of CDS designed to soothe animals
Don’t be fooled by the spiked collar. If that pit bull had his druthers, he’d choose Mozart over Motorhead every time.
In a four-month study of kennelled dogs’ responses to music, a Colorado State University professor found changes in barking patterns, restfulness, body-shaking and activity were dependent on the genre of song being played. Classical songs ultimately won out, proving so powerful in reducing stress that they even trumped the effect of “psychoacoustic” music designed especially to soothe animals.
Heavy metal, by contrast, appeared to amplify dogs’ anxiety, and was linked with less sleep, more barking and shaking.
Though it may seem frivolous (hey, so does turning on a vacuum and look at the effect THAT has on dogs), lead author Lori Kogan says the study has important implications for the welfare of animals in stressful shelter environments.
Her research, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, draws on 117 dogs, of various breeds, at one kennel; 83 were boarders, and 34 were rescue dogs.
Over time, the animals were randomly exposed to 45 minutes of music across three genres: classical, heavy metal and a simplistic psychoacoustic classical selection marketed for dog relaxation. Behaviour changes were observed and recorded every five minutes.
Classical was linked with more relaxed and restful behaviour, compared to the control condition (no music); heavy metal was linked with greater anxiety and unrest; and the psychoacoustic music had only a minimally calming effect — a result that caught Kogan by surprise.
“I did thousands of behavioural assessments over a period of four months … So the likelihood that this is an error is pretty small, ”says Kogan, an associate professor at CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
“It does fly in the face of what (Pet CD advocates) talk about, which is that more simplistic music should be more relaxing. The plus side is that you can download classical music for free.”
Noted veterinary behaviourist Nicholas Dodman saw similar results in a case study wherein the heart rate of an exuberant dog was significantly reduced by playing regular classical, but not psychoacoustic classical, music.
“If the dog had been Superman, it was like we’d just showed him a lump of Kryptonite. He completely relaxed,” says Dodman, a professor of animal behaviour at Tufts University.
A former skeptic of such research, Dodman says there’s growing evidence of music’s compelling effect on animals. He notes that Dog TV — for which he is chief scientist — has shown particular potential, calming rescue dogs with tailored visual and auditory stimulation.
“When shelter dogs are more relaxed — doing less barking, and jumping and running around, they become more adoptable,” says Dodman.
Though canine musical preferences have been a hot topic over the past decade, it’s extremely rare to see studies published in peer-reviewed journals. That said, literature on the effects of music on humans is robust and, so far, closely resembles what researchers are seeing with animals.
Guelph realtor Kelly Caldwell, who’s owned dogs since she was a teenager, isn’t surprised.
“Throughout my life, my dogs have always been by my side, and interested, when I play piano,” says Caldwell, whose pets’ apparent tastes over time have spanned Madonna to Mozart. “But I’m not sure whether it’s the actual music or just: ‘Mom’s doing something! WHAT IS IT?’”