Decoding Pets’ Musical Preferences

Have you ever wondered, “Do pets enjoy music?” 

Maybe your kitty gets really relaxed when you play classical tunes on the piano. Or maybe your pup gets excited when you play a favorite pop song. 

In this blog post, the team at Trusted Friend Animal Clinic will explore whether there really is an animal response to music—and whether music can benefit your pet. 

Musical Enrichment for Pets

In a review published in a 2020 edition of the scientific journal Animals (Basel), three researchers set out to learn what science says about musical enrichment for dogs. They studied 14 full-text articles “that experimentally manipulated the auditory environment and assessed at least one measure of canine health or behavior.” 

Here’s what they found: 

• Six of the studies reported that music did affect canine behavior—notably, classical music has a calming effect on dogs.
• Three of the studies looked at physiological factors, like heart rate variability, and found “significant changes with exposure to music.”

Long story short? Pets do seem to benefit from music. Especially classical tunes. But in another study, “‘The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs,’” which was published in a 2017 edition of Physiology & Behavior, researchers found that dogs habituated to music if they only listened to one genre. In other words, they got used to it and no longer reaped the relaxing benefits. 

What’s a music-loving pet parent to do?

It’s easy: change up the tunes! 

Pet Music Preferences

The study published in Physiology & Behavior played several different types of music for its canine research participants: reggae, soft rock, classical, you name it. They discovered that habituation decreased when dogs listened to a rotation of genres.

The researchers also found that dogs spent more time lying down during a music sesh than they did standing up. They also noted that the dogs barked a lot—after the music stopped playing. 

If that’s not a sign of appreciation, we don’t know what is. 

To figure out your pet’s musical preferences, try playing a range of calming tunes from different artists and genres. Take notes on which ones your pet seems to find the most relaxing. If she seems to be habituating to a specific playlist, change it up and watch the benefits continue. 

There’s even music out there made specifically for cats and dogs. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find it as relaxing as they do.

Pets and Music: A Pawsitive Pair

Pets and music go paw in paw. If you need more recommendations for relaxing an anxious pet, call our team at 404-907-1404. Our friendly staff is here to help with all your veterinary needs.