Dogs Found to Have Music Preferences
Ever wonder what your four-legged friend thinks of your taste in music? Well reserachers at the University of Glasgow in partnership with Scotland’s Animal Welfare Charity (SPCA) have recently released a study focusing on the effects of particular kinds of music on dogs.
The study consisted of playing five different genres of music to a group of dogs through sound systems installed in kennels, according to IFLScience.com. The reserachers played soft rock, Motown, pop, reggae, and classical music, while monitoring the dogs’ stress levels. They recorded how much time the dogs moved around, their heart rate, and other physiological changes.
“Overall, the response to different genres was mixed highlighting the possibility that like humans, our canine friends have their ouwn individual music preferences,” study author Professor Neil Evans said in a statement.
The study suggested that dogs spent “significantly more time lying and significantly less time standing” when music was playing, regardless of genre. But by measuring the dogs’ heart rate, reserachers said they showed a decreast in stress levels when music played – particularly soft rock and reggae – according to BBC.
The Scottish SPCA said it will now be investing in sound systems for all its kennels.
