We all know that our mood can certainly be affected by different types of music. But can this be the same for dogs?
Yes and no. Since dogs here things differently than we do, they automatically will react to things differently. Upbeat songs might not sound upbeat to them and slow, sad songs might not sound slow to them.
Dogs have a bigger range than we do, so they can hear different components out of the music that we can’t. Evidence has shown that dogs react to different types of music in different ways and are capable of not only hearing the music, but listening to it.
Overall, dogs prefer softer tones over upbeat. Classical music, such as Mozart or Beethoven, will sound most pleasing/comforting to your dog. In an experiment conducted by Dr. Deborah Wells, it was found that shelter dogs who were exposed to classical music actually began barking less and resting more.
Heavy metal music, as expected, caused a bit of commotion, according to Dr. Wells. Whether it was heavy metal or death metal, the dogs appeared more agitated and stood up/paced much more.
Now you can get a feel of what kind of music your dog likes and doesn’t like. So as much as you might rock out to Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” like I do, it’s not necessarily the most pleasing thing to your dog, so maybe put your earphones in. But if you enjoy listening to Mozart on the weekends, blast it (just not too loud)! It might just get your dog all cozy and relaxed.