Dog Owners Explore Music's Calming Effects on Pets

Experts weigh in on using music to soothe anxious or stressed canines

Jan. 31, 2026 at 2:55pm

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Some dog owners are using music to help calm their canine companions, with mixed results. While some trainers and shelter workers have found music can have a relaxing effect, animal behaviorists say more research is needed to understand how dogs respond to different genres and volumes of music. Experts caution against relying on music alone to address behavioral issues and recommend seeking guidance from certified trainers or veterinary behaviorists.

Why it matters

As more pet owners experiment with using music to manage their dogs' stress and anxiety, it's important to understand the nuances and limitations of this approach. The article highlights the need for further research to determine the most effective ways to incorporate music into a dog's environment, as well as the risks of misusing music as a sole treatment for behavioral problems.

The details

Some dog owners, trainers, and animal shelter workers have found that playing certain types of music, such as classical or instrumental, can have a calming effect on dogs experiencing stress or anxiety. However, animal behaviorists caution that the impact of music on dogs is highly context-dependent and varies based on factors like the dog's temperament, the setting, the genre and volume of the music. Experts recommend against relying on music alone to address behavioral issues and instead suggest seeking guidance from certified trainers or veterinary behaviorists.

  • The article was published on January 31, 2026.

The players

Seana Dowling-Guyer

A lecturer at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and associate director of a research program aimed at improving the lives of dogs in shelters or at risk of being given up by their owners.

Aniruddh Patel

A Tufts University psychology professor who studies music cognition in humans and other species.

Lori Kogan

A Colorado State University professor who studies human-animal interactions.

Tawny Keiser

A 46-year-old family practice manager in the San Diego area who uses a dog television channel on YouTube to help calm her 10-year-old pug with separation anxiety.

Megan Boyer

The shelter manager at High Country Humane, an animal shelter in Flagstaff, Arizona, that plays classical and instrumental music to help calm the dogs.

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What they’re saying

“Music may promote more relaxation for dogs, but it would not be the first thing I turn to if I want to reduce stress in dogs.”

— Seana Dowling-Guyer, lecturer at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and associate director of a research program

“Dog-calming music is simplified classical music. It's slow, repetitive, has a predictable structure and gentle notes. In an unpredictable environment, any kind of predictability using sounds could be soothing to an animal.”

— Aniruddh Patel, Tufts University psychology professor

“I don't think cows are born liking country music. What's happened is that the people they interact with play country music, and the animals have come to associate that music with positive things.”

— Lori Kogan, Colorado State University professor

“She recognizes the television and will sit and watch it. She's engaged, and often gets really excited and jumps off the couch to sniff the screen.”

— Tawny Keiser, 46-year-old family practice manager

“It's really stressful here, and the classical music seems to help calm the dogs down. Everybody is a little bit less amped up. It's a stress reliever for the dogs.”

— Megan Boyer, shelter manager at High Country Humane

What’s next

Experts suggest that more research is needed to fully understand the effects of music on dogs and in what specific situations it may be most effective as a calming tool. Pet owners are advised to closely monitor their dogs' reactions to music and to avoid relying on it as the sole solution for addressing behavioral issues.

The takeaway

While some dog owners and animal professionals have found music can have a soothing effect on canines, the impact of music on dogs is complex and highly dependent on the individual animal. Experts caution against using music as a replacement for proper training or veterinary care, and recommend seeking guidance from certified professionals when addressing a dog's behavioral or anxiety-related concerns.