The effects of music designed for canine and human relaxation on short-term stress in dogs

Auditory stimuli such as music can be an inexpensive and accessible option to help relieve stress for pet dogs. In some studies, classical music has been shown to have a stress-relieving effect on dogs experiencing a long-term stressor. However, the effect of relaxation music designed for dogs or humans administered during a short-term stressor, such as owner separation or a visit to the veterinarian’s office, has not been as thoroughly investigated. This experimental study (N = 37) examined the efficacy of two types of relaxation music, designed for dogs and for humans, to reduce stress in pet dogs undergoing a short-term stressor compared to a control group with no musical stimulus. Stress was measured in two ways during a brief separation from the owner: as activity captured by a collar with an accelerometer and as behavioral signs of stress. While there was no effect of auditory condition on activity level, grooming duration was significantly different by condition: more dogs in the dog relaxation music condition groomed and for longer than dogs in the control condition. No other behavioral differences were found. Overall, there was limited support for a stress-reducing effect of dog or human relaxation music. Future studies with larger, more diverse samples of dogs, different types and longer durations of the short-term stressor, physiologic measures in addition to behavioral indicators of stress, and varied musical selections may prove fruitful in examining the efficacy of auditory stimuli for relieving short-term stress in pet dogs.