As a former Music and Musical Theatre student, I have always found music to be a fantastic way to channel my emotions in a healthy way – when feeling low, it’s not uncommon for me to simply pop on my favourite playlist and dance like nobody is watching. So when I discovered that certain genres of music had similar benefits to dogs, you can imagine how elated I was that I could combine my love of music with my passion for dogs.
That was until recently when I came across a conflicting piece of research from 2022, that suggested that music might not always be as calming for dogs, as we originally thought…
Kinnaird and Wells (2022) Research
The research involved two separate studies in a University Test Room that would video record each session:
Study One
Study One involved 60 pet dogs between 10-months-old and 12-years-old, of pure and mixed breeds. Using one of three conditions: Classical Music, Audiobooks and Controlled (controlled meaning natural background noise without added stimuli), and after a brief 10 minute acclimatisation session with carer present in the room, each dog was separated from their carer for one hour.
The experimenter (the person accompanying each dog to assess behaviour through the use of a purpose-designed ethogram and score sheet) remained seated, avoiding any interaction with the dog.
After the hour had passed, the auditory stimulus (if applicable) was switched off and the dog was reunited with their carer.
Results
Dogs were significantly quicker to lie down, settle and gaze at ‘speaker’ in the Classical Music condition than in the Audio Book condition.
Dogs in the Audiobook condition spent significantly more time gazing towards the direction of the speaker, than dogs in the other conditions.
Younger dogs spent more time walking and attempting to interact with the experimenter.
Out of the 14 behavioural areas assessed, only ‘stranger-directed aggression‘ differed significantly between conditions – dogs in the Audiobook Condition showed significantly higher levels of this trait than animals in the other two conditions.
Study Two
The second study involved 20 pet dogs, and the same three auditory conditions, and each dog was also given 10 minutes with carer to acclimatise to the test room before their carer was told to leave.
Each dog was then exposed to one of the three conditions for 30 minutes.
The experimenter was, again, present for the duration of this time to assess.
Each dog was also exposed to the remaining 2 conditions of auditory stimulation after a 10-minute break with carer between each one (carer was encouraged to keep these breaks calm). Carer was then instructed to place their dog back into the test room (exactly the same as before) and leave. The sequence of which condition the dog was exposed to changed for each dog.
After all conditions were introduced and tested, each dog was reunited back with their carer.
Results
There were no real differences in the behaviour of dogs between three conditions except ‘speaker-directed gaze’. Dogs in both the Classical Music and Audiobook conditions spent more time gazing, than dogs in the Control Condition.
With all dogs being tested on 3 separate occasions (to cover all 3 conditions), the researchers used Friedman tests to explore behavioural changes specific to the testing period – dogs were significantly slower to lie down, and settle during the first phase of testing compared to the second and third phases.
Results also showed a significant difference in the majority of the dogs’ activities across all 3 phases – dogs spent more time ‘sitting’, ‘standing’ and ‘walking’ in Phase 1 than in Phase 2 or 3. They also spent more time sitting during Phase 2 than Phase 3.
In contrast, the dogs spent less time ‘lying down’ during their first phase of testing compared to the second or third, and ‘door-directed gaze’ also differed across all phases of testing with dogs showing a more of this behaviour during phase 1, than in phase 2 and 3.
Conclusion
The results were surprising to me:
Both studies showed just a marginal effect of Classical music on the behaviour of pet dogs in response to separation from their carers.
Interestingly, similar studies carried out in Rescue Shelters have reported evidence of more calming effects (less barking, more resting periods), which left me deep in reflection:
Could it be that the dogs tested in these shelters had already been separated from their carers for a prolonged period of time at the point of testing, meaning they would be more susceptible to the benefits of calming music?
Funnily enough, the researchers go on to question this theory themselves:
“Research on dogs in rescue shelters have involved animals that have been resident for several days, in some cases even weeks. Such animals may not have been acutely stressed. Indeed, plasma and salivary levels of cortisol have been shown to be highest in the first 3 days of residence in a shelter environment, with gradual decrease thereafter (Hennessy, 2013)”
They explain that dogs in their research would have been experiencing more acute level of stress due to the novel setting of the experiment, and that the dogs in Study 2 were reunited briefly and separated again (three occasions in total) which would most likely have resulted in a quicker escalation of stress and the activation of the survival state – this would mean it would be hard for a dog to benefit from any potential therapeutic benefit music has to offer. Again, interestingly, this self-reflection supports research formerly carried out within Veterinary Hospital environments (Albright et al, 2017; Engler and Bain, 2017).
The experiment showed no apparent welfare benefit across both studies, for the dogs exposed to Audiobooks, and instead, actually resulted in an increase of certain behaviours (specifically, barking during in Study 1).
The researchers have also noted that, in contrast to other similar studies, they had used the same audio track per condition on loop as opposed to several different tracks, and therefore have questioned the possibility of this being an additional influential factor open to further research since there was a study that found resistance in dogs exposed to repeated music (Bowman et al, 2015).
They summarise that environmental factors are significant in any study, highlighting that the majority of research on this topic involves kennel settings and shelters.
If an environment is typically loud – with some shelters surpassing 100 decibels (Coppola et al, 2006) – could this mean that relative silence has similar welfare benefits to Classical Music which would then explain the conflict of results between this latest study and prior studies?
Their research does suggest that more frequent exposure to specific events may in fact lead to habituation in dogs (as potentially shown in Study 2) where behaviour can improve with each new experience to stimuli (so long as it remains positive), though the researchers are careful not to assume this is the case.
For me, the worry would be in being able to distinguish the difference between positive habituation in dogs exposed to repetitive experiences and learned helplessness in dogs exposed to repetitive experiences that they consider stressful – it’s certainly something to think about more.
In any case, the experiment overall suggests that the presence of a familiar person may be a critical factor in whether music can truly reduce stress levels in grooming settings, with researchers concluding:
“From a more applied perspective, the welfare merits of acoustic stimulation in situations where dogs are temporarily separated from their owners (e.g., groomers, pet sitters) are therefore questionable.”
Potential Implications of Music in Professional Grooming Sessions
If you operate a salon where carers are not present, relying on music to help reduce stress levels may not yield the stress-reducing benefits once believed.
In fact, for some dogs, unfamiliar sounds or continuous background noise could become an additional stressor, particularly if the music is played too loudly or is not tailored to canine preferences (Bowman et al., 2017).
It’s true that it is more than possible for a dog to become over-stimulated and experience sensory overload when noice levels reach dangerous levels – extreme levels of noise can be highly stressful for dogs, proving detrimental to their overall well-being (Sales et al., 1997; Scheifele et al., 2012).
When Music May Still Be Beneficial
With Carer Present
The calming effect of music appears to be enhanced when the dog’s trusted person is nearby, helping the animal feel safe and secure (Kinnaird & Wells, 2022).
Individual Preferences
Some dogs may genuinely enjoy certain genres or specific compositions, especially if introduced gradually and when associated with positive experiences (Bowman et al., 2017), being willing to give a dog the option to have music on or off would be the way to establish consent.
Selective Implementation
Rather than attempting to use music to mask unavoidable background noise (high velocity dryer, clippers etc.)., carefully selecting times during the grooming process when there’s little-to-no noise in the background at all. This can potentially create a therapeutic, almost salon-like feel.
Three Potential Reasons To Not Use Music
No Carer Present
Dogs left without their carer may find little comfort in music alone, and it could even exacerbate their stress (Kinnaird & Wells, 2022), this is more likely to be the case when the dog hasn’t yet built up a relationship with the groomer first, and therefore is naturally in a more aroused, stressed state.
Noise Phobia or Aversion
For dogs with a history of noise sensitivity or aversion, music (especially if not carefully selected) can increase anxiety and discomfort (Mills et al., 2012).
Though research tends to support the benefits of Classical and Reggae music over all other auditory stimulus, groomers should refrain from assuming preference and instead be open to experimenting with different genres and tracks to gauge a dog’s response. Sometimes, a dog will prefer no music, others might prefer music to be quieter, some may prefer Reggae over Classical. Note: studies have shown both Heavy Metal and Rock to have a negative impact on the wellbeing of dogs (Kogan et al., 2012; Wells et al., 2002; Bowman et al., 2017).
Underlying Pain or Health Conditions
There is a growing body of evidence linking noise phobia with undiagnosed pain. Dogs suffering from pain may be more sensitive to auditory stimuli, and music could inadvertently worsen their experience (Lopes Fagundes et al., 2018). In grooming settings specifically, we are faced with a multi-faceted situation where pain can be triggered by not only physical touch, but now also, sound.
The Link Between Noise, Pain, and Individual Assessment
Noise phobia and aversion are complex and often intertwined with physical discomfort or pain.
Mills et al., (2012) found that dogs with noise sensitivities are more likely to have underlying health conditions, and exposure to music or other sounds can sometimes intensify their symptoms which highlights the importance of treating every dog as an individual.
Assessing temperament, history, and health before deciding on environmental enrichment strategies is crucial when deciding on the best approach for each individual dog.
I think music can be a valuable tool in the grooming salon, but it’s not a universal remedy.
As groomers, our responsibility is to observe, assess, and adapt each grooming session to ensure that every dog receives the best care – that may involve the implementation of music to help enhance the dog’s experience, but it might also mean the eradication of music completely for dogs who would prefer a ‘less is more’ approach.
Learn More
The HGA Philosophy is constantly evolving and we welcome anyone with an interest in updated, science-led education to join our free community.
Join today: share, learn and grow alongside like-minded professionals and carers today.
References
Albright, J.D., Seddighi, R.M., Ng, Z., Sun, X. and Rezac, D. (2017). Effect of environmental noise and music on dexmedetomidine-induced sedation in dogs. PeerJ, 5, p.e3659. doi:https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3659.
Bowman, A., Scottish SPCA, & University of Glasgow (2017). The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs. Physiology & Behavior, 171, 207-215.
Coppola, C.L., Enns, R.M. and Grandin, T. (2006). Noise in the Animal Shelter Environment: Building Design and the Effects of Daily Noise Exposure. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 9(1), pp.1–7. doi:https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327604jaws0901_1.
Engler, W.J. and Bain, M. (2017). Effect of different types of classical music played at a veterinary hospital on dog behavior and owner satisfaction. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, [online] 251(2), pp.195–200. doi:https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.251.2.195.
Hennessy, M.B. (2013). Using hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal measures for assessing and reducing the stress of dogs in shelters: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 149(1-4), pp.1–12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2013.09.004.
Kinnaird, R. F., & Wells, D. L. (2022). The effect of auditory stimulation on pet dogs’ reactions to owner separation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 254, 105688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105688
Kogan, L.R., Schoenfeld-Tacher, R. and Simon, A.A. (2012). Behavioral effects of auditory stimulation on kenneled dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, [online] 7(5), pp.268–275. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2011.11.002.
Lopes Fagundes, A., et al. (2018). Noise sensitivity and pain in dogs: A review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 23, 10-17.
Mills, D. S., et al. (2012). Pain and problem behaviour in cats and dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 7(3), 146-151.
Sales, G., Hubrecht, R., Peyvandi, A., Milligan, S. and Shield, B. (1997). Noise in dog kennelling: Is barking a welfare problem for dogs? Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 52(3-4), pp.321–329. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0168-1591(96)01132-x.
Scheifele, P., Martin, D., Clark, J.G., Kemper, D. and Wells, J. (2012). Effect of kennel noise on hearing in dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 73(4), pp.482–489. doi:https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.73.4.482.
Wells, D.L., Graham, L. and Hepper, P.G. (2002). The Influence of Auditory Stimulation on the Behaviour of Dogs Housed in a Rescue Shelter. Animal Welfare, [online] 11(4), pp.385–393. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0962728600025112.
