Specially orchestrated music calms stressed dogs 

If you are the owner of an anxious dog, you can surely attest to the fact that your pup’s unease raises the stress level of the entire household. And since stress has been proven to be dangerous to the health of all family members – whether human or canine – you’ve likely searched high and low for answers.

Believing the old adage that “music soothes the savage beast,” psychoacoustic expert Joshua Leeds, veterinary neurologist Susan Wagner and Juilliard-trained pianist Lisa Spector have teamed up to create a way to “improve the health and behavior of your canine companion” using music and sound.

The resulting book and music series is called Through a Dog’s Ear and is comprised of a book (which comes with a 45-minute sampler CD) and four hour-long music CDs, touted to provide “clinically tested and affordable solutions for canine anxiety issues.”

According to the website, “the music of Through a Dog’s Ear builds on the ground-breaking psychoacoustic research of Dr. Alfred Tomatis, known as the ‘Einstein of the ear,’ who discovered the extraordinary powers of sound as a ‘nutrient for the nervous system.’”

Coupling that research with the latest science on how dogs hear and react to sound, the book by Leeds and Wagner seeks to provide a “treasury of fresh insight on the inner auditory life of our best friends,” including:

• How to use sound as a tool to help alleviate separation anxiety, excitement with visitors, thunderstorm panic and other behavior challenges
  
  
• Tips and tricks for making any house or apartment more comfortable for nervous dogs
  
  
• Information about sensory confusion, over- and under-stimulation, the orienting response and how our dogs hear the human world
  
  
• A 45-minute starter CD of classical music psychoacoustically designed to soothe and relax dogs – as well as their human companions
  

The system’s four CDs include:

• Music to Calm Your Canine Companion, Vol. 1 – Solo piano classical arrangements designed to reduce anxious behavior and induce a state of calmness.
  
  
• Music to Calm Your Canine Companion, Vol. 2 – More solo piano arrangements designed to gradually reduce the heart rate with progressively slower rhythms. Both Volumes 1 and 2 are recommended for times of stress or anxiety due to thunderstorms, being left alone and other difficult situations.
  
  
• Driving Edition – Music to Calm Your Dog in the Car – Perfect for dogs who become agitated or motion-sick when traveling.
  
  
• Music for the Canine Household – This CD adds cello, oboe and English horn along with the piano to create a positive atmosphere for the whole family, without inducing sleepiness.
  

Veterinarians, behaviorists and dog owners alike have contributed testimonials to the website, sharing their own positive experiences with the series. The site also includes tips on how to use the various CDs for specific behavioral issues.

We tried these CDs and found them to be wonderfully soothing for canine and human alike. The Driving Edition calmed our driver (who hates traffic) as well as putting our canine passenger to sleep. We especially enjoyed the Music for the Canine Household CD, which helped to create a calmly creative atmosphere for everyone.

If you are searching for something to calm your anxious canine, this series sounds like it just might do the trick – without drugs! And if you do give Through a Dog’s Ear a try, be sure to let us know how it worked for you and your pup!