Benefits of Playing Music for Dogs and Cats

Pet loving musicians may have come across cute videos where pets are listening to some beautiful tunes, either from the instruments that their owners are playing or from the music being played on television or from the computer. Studies have shown that music doesn’t just benefit us human beings, it could also help benefit the health of dogs and cats by reducing stress and helping build a level of calm.

For example, one research study found that playing classical music helped reduce the stress level of kenneled dogs. The animals were barking less, which helped with lowering respiratory rates as well as lowering the level of cortisol (the stress hormone).

As musicians, we have the skills to play our own music in front of a furry audience. Obviously, heavy metal and rock is out of the equation as the loud music is going to cause more harm than good. Another study, however, found that one genre that dog participants preferred was soft rock. Whenever you dog looks stressed, you could try using your musical skills to your benefit by playing tunes like how deep is your love by the Bee Gees or tears in heaven by Eric Clapton. Give these songs a go (at a moderate volume) and see how your dog responds.