Not sure what kind of music to play over the holidays? Here’s some tips: If you’ve invited Orangutans to Christmas dinner, (and who hasn’t?), they would prefer silence. Some chimpanzees like rock music better than quiet, while other chimps are more social when hearing classical music with a slow tempo. Lambs put on more weight when listening to random noises, but were calmed by classical music. Fast tempos increased locomotion and tail wagging in pigs, and pieces by Mozart reduced heart rates in hypertensive rats.
You’re welcome. I’m sure you were wondering. You might also wonder if I’ve lost my mind, but no, I’m inspired to write about animals and music after reading a fascinating article by one of my most influential mentors, Dr. Charles Snowdon. The article, “Animal Signals, Music and Emotional Well-Being” is a thorough review of the research on the effects of music on non-human animals. It’s absolutely worth checking out.
In Dr. Snowdon’s words:
“The use of music to influence the emotional well-being of our pets, farm animals and in zoological parks depends on our understanding the communication system of other species and the variety of emotional states that can be induced through different types of music. My goal is to help those managing animal facilities or advising pet owners to be more aware of the issues involved in using music with animals, as well as provide advice to researchers investigating effects of music on animals.”
Let’s focus our attention on dogs and cats for now, given that few of us have invited orangutans for Christmas dinner. No doubt you’ve heard of music being used to calm dogs in shelters, and might have experienced this yourself. You might also be aware, though, that the studies done so far on dogs have mixed results. Some studies found that “classical music” increased sleep and rest, while “rock” increased nervousness. But other studies have had different results; one study, for example, found that listening to an audio book calmed dogs in a shelter while music did not. (See Table 1 in the paper for a full list of the effects of music on different species.)
So what’s going on? Dr. Snowdon’s primary points are these: First, we need to be careful about making assumptions regarding music. All “classical music” is not soothing. Ever heard the finale of the William Tell Overture?
Second, there is solid research that certain types of music have similar effects on emotion and behavior in mammals, no matter the culture or the species of the listener. Quiet music with slow, continuous notes and descending pitches tend to calm mammals, while fast tempos, louder sounds, and staccato-noted pieces tend to arouse them. Thus, we call our dogs most successfully by saying “Pup pup pup!”, not “Coooooooooome.” We say “Staaaay,” rather than “Stay, stay, stay!”
But the other important point of the paper, one that is often overlooked, is the importance of understanding an animal’s own repertoire and how that might influence its response to different types of music. Here, for me, is where it gets really fun: What if one used the principles above, but more closely aligned with the sounds of an animal’s natural repertoire?
That is exactly what Snowdon and his collaborator David Teie did with Cotton-top Tamarins. A highly vocal species, tamarins have a vocal range three octaves higher than us, and a heart rate three times as fast. Snowdon and Teie created “music” that followed the basic principles listed above, but designed to be species-appropriate. They compared the reactions of the monkeys to these pieces as well as to human-based music with the same features. Sure enough, the subjects were less active and more comfortable with the tamarin-based calming music, and more active with the opposite type. BUT, they showed no observable reaction to either kind of the human-based music. (With the one exception of decreased locomotion to heavy-metal music. No comment.)
Their second study involved cats. They chose cats over dogs because their “size, heart rates and voices” are more homogeneous, composing cat-based music as they had for the monkeys. These sounds were an octave higher than human speech, included “glides” which are common in feline vocalizations, and tempos matching that of purring. The cats responded much like the tamarins: They showed great interest in the calming cat-based music, and were significantly calmer while listening to it than to human music. In addition, most importantly, one of their more recent studies compared cat music, human music and silence in veterinary clinics and found that the cat music significantly decreased stress-related behavior compared to the other choices. You can hear the cat-based music at musicforcats.com. There was no response to the human classical music, and so there appeared to be little benefit, for the cats, anyway, of playing it. (Although perhaps the humans enjoyed it?)
You can download the music or purchase CDs, from $17 to $25 at musicforcats.com/shop. It’s clearly more difficult to do this with dogs, but I’m sure you’ll join me in crossing my paws that someone, somewhere, follows up on this and create music specifically calming for dogs.
I’d love to hear your experience with music, dogs and cats; all anecdotes welcome! And don’t hesitate to add in a horse, ferret, and even better, parrots. We all know that music can get amazing responses from them!
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Skip, Maggie and I were at a sheepdog trial on Saturday, where Maggie spent much of the morning helping to sort out sheep to be used for each run. That involved lots of close work with sheep who had strong opinions about not leaving the rest of the flock. I grabbed this shot of Maggie as she faced down a ewe who wanted to go to our left. You can see by Maggie’s legs she’d just flanked over to block the ewe. The look on Maggie’s face is so expressively Maggie: Determined, willing, but not confident.
But we, working alongside Lori and her sweet dog Libby, got the job done for all the morning runs. I ran Skip and Maggie in ProNovice class that afternoon, and all I can say is I wish I had it taped, because we all need a laugh, and I guarantee it would provide one. I started laughing halfway through Skip’s run and never stopped til we left the course. In brief, I was a mental disaster. I gave Skip at least 3 if not 4 incorrect flanks. I stood watching the sheep go off line and did nothing until it was too late. I did a little better with Maggie, but it seems that my brain was frozen after working in the cold in the morning. Happily, it was a small and casual trial, everyone on everyone’s else’s side, and except for Skip no doubt wishing he had a different handler, we all had a good time.
We came home to yet another beautiful sunset; there seems to be one every evening now. Here a shot from an evening walk last weekend:
Last night, Sunday the 20th, there was a softer sunset. I managed to get this shot of Skip, looking for the sheep, before the light got too dim. This one might have to get framed.
We were lucky last week after the massive windstorm that swept the Midwest. We had four trees down, but none were cherished trees in the garden, and several were already dead. This huge limb was partially down before–you can see the fresh tears by the light color versus the darker color at the base. This one was dangerous, it’s a place in a corner where both the sheep and dogs have to go to move from one place to another. They don’t call trees like this “widow makers” for nothing. Thank heavens for Jim; I hate chain sawing, he spoils me by doing it all, and is smart and cautious and wears safety equipment.
Here’s a downed tree on a fence, always a necessity to fix before the sheep get out. You might ask why there is a Blue-Footed Booby sitting on it, given that they are not exactly native to Wisconsin. It’s a long story; the short version involves my sister, her trip to the Galapagos, and my sending her a photo of Blue Booby in a different setting every day, sort of like the Travelocity gnome.
I won’t be writing again until 2022, but I hope this finds you all able to have a warm and loving holiday and end of the year. 2021 has been, well, a year. I think this ewe illustrates how many of us have felt during it.
But there is always time, indeed, there is a necessity, for joy and laughter. I wish you all light and love, along with my gratitude for traveling with me on this weird and wonderful journey called life.
Mary says
Merry Christmas, Patricia! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, full of fun and love!
Wendy K. says
Thank you for this delightful rabbit hole. Orangutans to Turbot – who would have thought! Now I’m pondering the implication that calming music for dogs might be specific to size or temperament. I bought an iCalm player for my Aussie, but haven’t gotten around to quantifying her activity/nap durations on the nannycam to see if it makes a difference. The dumbed-down classical playlist drove me a little crazy after a time, so I switched to the reggae.
My own calming soundscape resides at mynoise.net. I’ve been sampling blends of sounds from the natural world – this morning it’s birdsong and gurgling water from a park in Aotearoa (New Zealand). The nature sounds greatly help my mood during my hours in a windowless office.
And yes, that sunset profile of Skip is definitely one to put on the wall!
Ridge Euler says
I was listening to the samples on the link musicforcats.com, Jordan the cat came up next to me, laid down and started purring. I think she approves of this music.
Grace says
Music has always been a big part of my life. I used it with my not-so-crazy-about-handling Basenji by dancing with him in my arms as a puppy. Now that he is 25 lbs and 8 years old, that early cuddling has become a boost up a neighbor’s tree to invistigate squirrel holes he can’t reach. At the shelter where I volunteer and serve on the board of directors, I play my favorite songs (mostly folk music) as part of environmental stimulation for new puppies. The good feelings (oxytocin?) that flow between me and the puppy I’m cradling while I softly sway and sing along are the best way I know of for letting them know the shelter, though noisy and stressful, can also be a safe and loving place.
I don’t know what I like more, your amazing photos or whatever you choose as your topic of conversation.
I hope the book writing is going well.
Happy Holidays!
MinnesotaMary says
Lovely post! I really appreciate learning more about music and how it affects animals. I have used classical music for many years. Nothing in particular, I just turn on MPR/NPR when I leave the dogs alone. I also play it in the car when I’ve got a particularly stressed dog. Being involved in rescue I transport my fair share of dogs, and picking one up after an alteration surgery seems to be the most challenging. I have a selection of classical music on my phone and choose those tracks when driving a foster dog home from their surgery. It really helps calm them down. I wish you a wonderful Christmas and new year, Trisha!
Stacey Gehrman says
Thanks for a very interesting article. I know I will pay more attention to my dog’s reactions to music and audio. Your photos are great and that one of Skip should definitely be framed!
Betsy says
Love this, Tricia!
As a retired music teacher (and dog-lover for 7 decades!) I was interested in this article. Thank you.
The best to you in 2022, and have a blessed Christmas.
Christiane Benecke says
Hi, Patricia, from Germany! I love your blog (and your photos 😍).
On the subject: Bobby, our late mixed breed, loved irish harp music. His best friend, our cat Daisy, too. That was our evening ritual: harp music = night’s rest. And Daisy found it very comforting on the shoulder of one of our daughters when she played the flute.
Mímir, our young Icelandic Sheepdog, is sleeping on our youngest daughter’s feet when she plays the piano. And she doesn’t just play classical music😉.
Merry Christmas🎄!
Pam Demetrion says
Years ago we made weekly trips to a second home, bringing our dogs and cat. The cat (“Twinkletoes”), a part-Siamese tortoiseshell, would spend most of the 3-hour drive wailing loudly. We tried finding music that would calm her, but nothing worked. (Maybe she was singing along ?) During one trip, we turned on a baseball game, and she immediately became quiet. Eventually we learned that she would be quiet while listening to any radio talk show. Peace !
Charlotte Kasner says
I studied Snowball in my first session of an MA in Ballet (before I took up canine science). It occasioned a great deal of energetic debate but, in the end, we all concluded that it wasn’t “dance” as defined by deliberate human movement.
Fascinating subject worthy of more study though.
Seasons greetings to all.
Amy says
Thank you for sharing this research with the masses! Favorite UW Professors: 1) You. 2) Chuck. (And while you’re not writing philosophy here, Jim is up there, too. All of you have given me mental nuggets that pass through my thoughts on a near-daily basis!) Wow, I’m so fortunate 🙂
Loooove those gorgeous pics!! And the Blue-footed Booby made my day. Happy Solstice to you all!
Cricket says
Merry Christmas, Patricia! Thank you for your wonderful books & blog posts. I am intrigued by my dog’s reactions to music. On the day I adopted him (at 8 weeks old) , we had a 4 hour drive home. I’d obsessed about what music we might both enjoy. I thought he was too young for Grace Slick, so I selected some Grateful Dead, beginning with “American Beauty.” A few days later, we visited a friend and relaxed on her deck amid several potted plants my puppy explored. Unbeknownst to us, my friend’s son had hidden a few roaches (marijuana) and cigarette butts behind some pots. My puppy found and ate them — and we had a terrifying late-night trip to the Vet ER. Since all’s well that end’s well, I can now laugh and wonder if I should have chosen some music other than the Grateful Dead.
Lorie Coenen says
Merry Christmas Patricia.
We lost our much loved Murphy in October but thanks to you, your books and your blog we were able to give this very troubled border collie a happy life. He was 13-1/2 years old. We miss him so much. Not sure if we will get another but maybe if the right one comes along we will. Again thank you for all the training advice you helped us more than you could know.
And now let’s toast the coming of 2022 and hope it’s better than ever!
Christy says
Wasn’t there a study a few years ago that showed that shelter dogs would calm if they heard recorded sounds of happy dogs? And someone was selling cds of this. In particular the sound was the one associated with dogs’ happy play–that sort of breathy guttural noise.
Just looked and found it. I wonder if there was any follow up on the study that showed good results with this sound.
http://petalk.org/petalk.org/LaughingDog.html
Jennifer Betts says
Happy Holidays!
I’ve long been interested in the musical preferences of animals and have been leaving the radio on for the past few years when I go to work (NPR and classical for my pup, Leon), since it appears that a combination of music and human voice might be comforting. A few years back I read a recommendation for this book, Through Dog’s Ear – Using Sound to Improve the Health and Behavior of Your Canine Companion, by Joshua leads and Susan Wagner. It comes with a CD, Which it certainly seemed that my dog enjoyed. I’m so glad we’re exploring these areas of how to make our pets and the animals we live with in the world more comfortable in a life with humans.
As always, I enjoy reading your blog and seeing the beautiful pictures (that sunset and sheep-searching pose— Wow).
Cheryl Croft says
Love this topic. I do know when I play the piano my Chihuahua comes and curls up for a nap in a basket I keep by piano. At no other time does he use that bed. He sleeps/naps as long as I play. One time I was frustrated with learning a piece and just came down once with a bang…at which time he got up and left the room. Ha! I never know if my playing is soothing or just so boring it puts him to sleep! 🙂
Enjoy all your writings. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
LisaW says
Here are a sunrise and a sunset from our ridge. I’ve never lived in a place where the sunrises and sunsets are so gobsmackingly gorgeous (well, really where we can see them so readily). https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNlLNLYvpNl6zqZZ1r8gATFHtpc6W1ODWVjqDuw
Music is at the heart of so much creative communication. I love this from Alive Inside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZQf0p73QM
I think I’ve told the story before of Olive early on in our relationship stopping dead in her tracks and staring at me when I started singing on our walks. She wouldn’t budge until I stopped singing. I guess she, too, preferred silence. I eventually found a song I modified and sang to her that actually did calm her down a bit.
Here’s to a new year where we look more like Maggie than the ewe. Happy Solstice.
Marcy says
Hi Patricia, thanks for this thought-provoking (and delightful) article. I’m a newish stepmom to a loving retriever/lab mix, who can get anxious when left alone. It’s the only time she shows (mildly) destructive behavior. I think the pandemic has played a part; she’s gotten used to always having someone around. To help calm her, I sometimes leave the TV on when I leave, always giving considerable thought to what show might be pleasing to her. Most recently it was Legally Blonde. Why? Because it makes me smile and it’s not violent. Other than that, I can’t defend it. I admit it’s probably a ridiculous choice. : ). I like Minnesota Mary’s idea of leaving on NPR … if for no other reason than it calms me, too. Those modulated voices have been a part of my life for decades, and leave me feeling my heart is beating just a little more slowly, even when I’m not focusing on the words. P.S. Your pix are charming, as always.
BARB STANEK says
Yes! Frame that photo!
Happiest of holidays!
Ilene Segal says
I always love reading your blog posts. We put the radio on in our cat ward ( I suspect to try and drown out the dog noises), but not for the dogs – maybe if we played music for them as well, the cats could get a break too. We also play music while doing surgery – I can always tell who the surgeon is that day depending on what is playing on Alexa ( apparently when I show up they yell something like “play Micheal Buble” – it’s tough being the old lady ). I love the video of the dancing cockatoo – it’s all about environmental enrichment! I hope you and your family have a happy and healthy holiday season!
Linda says
I have logged many, many miles doing cat rescue transport, mostly vocal Siamese. My music tastes are eclectic (though no heavy metal), so I would bring a variety of CDs to see what helped the cats travel better. My not very scientific methods consisted of judging the volume of caterwauling coming from the back of the car and sometimes visualization of body language. The music that seemed to work the best was either Classical (specifically Baroque period) or, surprisingly enough, Reggae. Yup, they seemed to love the Wailers! Go figure.
Jan Z says
For years, my dogs have been listening to the wonderful CD created by Janet Marlowe entitled ‘Zen Dog’. This plays whenever I leave the house and on the occasion of when the dogs receive their wings at home, and it does seem to have a definite calming effect. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the CD is available any longer but if someone can find it please let us know.
That pic of Skip is a definite framer! Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!
Emerson Dahmen says
In the late 1960s I adopted an 8 week old gray kitten. On his second day in his new home I was playing a recording of either Beethoven or Mozart violin concerto, Jascha Heifitz soloist. The kitten was fascinated both by the sound coming from the speaker and the motion if the record, and would place his paw on the record gently, but enough to slow the speed a bit, then lift the paw, then place the paw on the record again, appearing to listen to the change in tone from the nearby speaker. This continued for many minutes (especially given the usual attention span of a young kitten).
As he matured he showed a marked preference for similar music eg. Beethoven piano sonatas and even Beethoven symphonies, and an aversion to most jazz and rock (hated the Rolling Stones, Ornette Coleman to the point of leaving the room immediately, tolerated Bill Evans). With music he liked he would lie in the middle of the living room rug midway between two stereo speakers with eyes mostly closed and ears relaxed, but sometimes rotating toward the more active speaker as the orchestral emphasis changed.
This wasn’t an intentional experiment, just the observations of an eclectic human listener, but I’ve deliberately exposed several other cats and several dogs to different types of music over the years and have never seen a comparable case of clear preferences.
Lynda Costello says
Always enjoy your columns. But the best one for me reading today was the ornament with your Pals names. Sadly gone but never forgotten!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Gayla says
Fascinating post! Thank you for the links… the photos…
and for being you…
Rox says
Merry Christmas – love the blog!! You mention horses. Here’s what music or audio the horses in my barn like (or don’t). My barn help loves country-western music but when the barn radio is tuned to the local country station the horses get restless and not in a good way and they also will fuss at each other over their stall dividers. They do seem to stay fairly relaxed when NPR is on either Morning Edition or All Things Considered. Some of the Saturday opera broadcasts really seem to get their attention – they do seem to actually listen, it makes me wonder if some of the singing esp. in the arias resonate a bit with equine vocalizations. Especially operas from the 1800s but not so much the modern stuff. Too many decades ago to admit just how many, the trainer I grew up with always said to talk to horses in ways they talk to each other and it will help the horse/human bond. He also said horses love to hear people laugh. So maybe some arias really do resonate with how horses sometimes talk with each other? In the final act of La Boheme, the ringing desperate calls to “Mimi!!” – I’ve had every set of ears in the barn pointed in that direction at that moment. Seriously goose-bumpery. PS the dogs here do not like opera!
Kathryn Dorn says
Thank you for the fascinating blog post (and links to the study and cat music)! Since the study didn’t cover Zebra Finches or canaries, as far as I noticed, I’ll add some (very qualitative, completely scientific-method-devoid) observations of my mom’s finch charm:
-Individual Zebra Finches definitely have distinct musical preferences. Some of the former charm members loved various arias from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”; the current finches seem to hate it, though, and yell at me when I try to sing the “Queen of the Night” aria. (Of course, I’m neither a good singer nor a coloratura soprano, so maybe they’re just yelling at me for missing the high notes…) Several of the male finches sing along when I sing/hum “La Donna e Mobile” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” though. (Since they’re housed separately from the female finches, maybe they’re singing because they think the song’s first few words – the only ones I can remember offhand – mean “The female finches are mobile! They’ll escape their cage and live with us!”, instead of the actual, disturbing, misogynistic meaning.)
-The canary and I started off on the wrong foot – from his perspective, I was the mean person who scolded him for picking on the (much smaller) Zebra Finches and who (inadvertently!) startled him off his favorite perch while I was sweeping the floor underneath – but he started singing in front of me for the first time when I sang the beginning of the William Tell Overture. I think he likes the fast-paced, not-quite-trilling part, which does sound vaguely like some parts of his own song repertoire. (On the other hand, when I’ve sung it more recently, he’s just chirped briefly or stared at me in silence, so he may be bored with it now.) He also sometimes sings along *very* loudly to an Eileen Ivers CD (fast-paced and mostly instrumental folk music).
Chuck Snowdon says
Thanks to all who responded. It is great to see your reactions to what David Teie and I have been working on for the past decade. We truly believe that many creatures, not just humans, respond to the emotional qualities of music, and your stories confirm that point quite well. I am happy to join all of you in my appreciation of the work Trisha has done, and for her humanity. Happy holidays to all.
Trisha says
Thanks for all YOU do Chuck, you have always been an inspiration.
Gaye Macy says
Through a Dog’s Ear (2007) by Joshua Leeds DVM and Susan Tanner pursued music and audio frequencies that stimulate or calm dogs. They made sound tracks called icalmdog that you can purchase. It is basically simplified classical music played at a slow tempo, sometimes almost a chord structure. There are some for car rides, for leaving with your dog when he/she is home alone, and for behavioral mod for fireworks and loud city noises.
Patricia Wildgen says
I love your columns and I will always remember the Intermediate and Advanced classes my Golden and I took back in 1992 or 1993 when I first moved to Madison. Totally changed how I worked with my dogs! I have a question – the first downed tree photo above shot a black and white bird sitting on the log. Do you know what this is? I saw one yesterday for the first time and cannot figure out what it is.
Becky W says
That exact Blue-Footed Booby is sitting on my couch with my reindeer right now! Where do these guys come from? My Christmas was wonderful as I hope yours was. Peace, love and hope are what I wish for all of us and, of course, more Blue-Footed Boobys in everyone’s life.
Amber says
Jan Z-
Apple Music has an album listed as “Zen Dog- White noise to calm your pet”. Not certain if it is a match. They also have both “Through a Dog’s Ear” albums.
We found that playing the TV show “How It’s Made” seemed calming to the dogs.
Thank you Patricia for the post, and for including the lovely photos. The silhouette pic could make a perfect desktop background.
Royal canin says
Thank you for sharing this research with the masses! Really informative