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Dogs and Music - Do Animals Have a Musical Sense?

3 minutes
Many people think of a dog’s howl as a canine attempt to make music. This is because dogs sometimes howl when someone sings or plays an instrument.
Dogs and Music - Do Animals Have a Musical Sense?
Last update: 11 September, 2019

Is it true that dogs like music? Do they really have a musical sense? Well, it all depends on several factors. For example, how loud the music is and what kind of song it is. After all, “music soothes the savage beast,” right? We’d like to tell you more about it in today’s article.

Do dogs like music?

There are many reasons to answer affirmatively to this question. However, there are many other reasons to say “no, they don’t.” Generally, canines get very nervous about certain loud noises such as fireworks, storms or happy children playing next to them.

So, let’s not ignore how music could be another source of discomfort for our pets. Nor should we necessarily believe that we can calm them down or soothe them with it (as per the above idiom).

We humans love music. For the most part, we spend hours listening to different songs while we drive, cook, exercise and even while we work. Our favorite melodies are with us everywhere and most of the time. Let’s be truthful, our life would be boring without them.

Music helps us remember many beautiful things from our past as we burn calories at the Zumba class, while we relax, or when we’re feeling down. It’s probably for this reason that we tend to think our pets are as passionate about music as we are. Don’t kid yourself as this isn’t necessarily true.

There is research that revealed that dogs like music in most cases. But, of course, there are many exceptions. For example, an animal will react differently depending on the type of song or the sound it produces (especially to their ultra-sensitive ear).

In addition, the research confirmed that pets do like to have background music. In fact, they prefer it to absolute silence. So, some people recommend that owners leave the radio or television on when they go to work. Particularly if they’ll be away for several hours. Do keep in mind that the volume should be low and, preferably, that should be no people talking – only music.

What kind of music do they like?

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Dogs also have their own musical preferences; they feel more comfortable listening to certain types of music over others. If owners knew which songs to play to soothe their animals they would feel more relaxed and fall asleep without problems.

Note that your pet won’t like all types of music. So, what’s the secret? It mainly depends on the sounds generated by the song, but it also depends on the volume. Perhaps you don’t realize what their musical tastes are at first because they’ll remain indifferent.

However, you’ll catch on eventually as to which music your pets like and which they don’t; you’ll learn to distinguish what’s pleasant for them and what isn’t.

This is an easy task, just watch them while you play the music and if you notice they seem uneasy and want to hide under the table, then they’re not enjoying it. Neither are they if they get nervous and bark and scratch the floor. Nor if they get startled and are short of breath. Conversely, you’ll know they love it if they sleep peacefully while lying on their back and wagging their tail.

Conclusion

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Basically, dogs don’t enjoy loud and shrill sounds so they probably won’t like heavy metal and electronic music. Not only that, but these kinds of sounds will have negative consequences on your dog. This is quite contrary to what happens with classical or instrumental music, for example. The same happens with people if you think about it.

Now that you know that dogs like some kinds of music, the next step is to choose the right kind for your pet. Some veterinarians claim dogs like a lot of classical music that you can find online. Pay special attention that it doesn’t have too much of a variation in the tones and volume. Don’t ever play it at full volume!

Don’t you just love how you and your furry can now enjoy music together?

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.