To help your dog relax, a new study reveals that we should play them music. But not just any tune, research carried out by the Scottish SPCA and the University of Glasgow have found that dogs react best to reggae and soft rock.
The published paper suggests that music can affect dogs' behaviour, after researchers played various types of music to the listening canines at a Dumbarton rehoming centre. Physiological and behavioural changes were monitored. The five genres of music tested on the dogs were soft rock, Motown, pop, reggae and classical.
But above all other genres, reggae and soft rock produced the most positive behaviour change in the animals, Professor Neil Evans of the study said.
Though this genre came out on top, the study also revealed that individual dogs had their own music taste.
Prof. Evans said: "Overall, the response to different genres was mixed, highlighting the possibility that, like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences."
All music genres made the dogs spend "significantly more time lying and significantly less time standing." Heart rate and stress levels decreased and the dogs appeared generally more relaxed.
Due to the results of this study, the Scottish SPCA plan to install sound systems in all its kennels.
Gilly Mendes Ferreira, of the SPCA, said: "At present both our Glasgow and Edinburgh centres are able to pipe music into their kennels. In the future every centre will be able to offer our four-footed friends a canine-approved playlist, with the view to extending this research to other species in our care."
Hit the play button on some Bob Marley tunes to find out if your dog loves listening to reggae too.
