Do you hear what I hear?

President Lyndon B. Johnson used to be very fond of Western folk songs but he was a terrible singer.  His mixed-breed terrier named Yuki used to sit on his lap and accompany him as he sang off key.  Yuki would yip and howl as he accompanied him.

Golden glove boxer Arthur "Stubby" Stubbs was once invited to the White House by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.   Not only was he in attendance but so was his pit bull terrier Bud.  The boxer brought his banjo and played a medley of Stephen Foster songs as Bud "sang" to the president.

Dogs have been a part of our musical lives for a very long time.  Dogs may not like music as we like music but they love the sounds and the pitches in certain types of music jsut like we do.  Many studies have shown that music is good for us.  We use music for meditation, relaxation, concentration and more.  Doesn't it just make sense that music is also good for a dogs ear?

Musical experts have found that one vibration can alter another and that external rhythms can speed up and slow down internal functions of the brain, heart and respiration of living things. Complex music increases energy while simple music has a relaxing effect. It has also been discovered that certain high pitched sounds stimulate the nervous system and low pitched sounds de-stimulate the nervous system, creating fatigue.

Since many studies have shown that sounds affects dogs and humans in much the same way, this suggests that dogs can also suffer stress from over stimulation in busy cities, hectic households, shelters and boarding kennels and may act out in negative ways such as house accidents, barking too much, chewing, biting tendencies, and other behavioral issues.  Music effects can vary in humans and dogs as well.  While listening to spa type music with flutes and harps can calm us, hard rock can also stimulate and aggravate our nervous system.  The same can be said for our doggies.

Doggy Zen Den recommends soothing and calming music for your dog.  While your away, check out the digital cable music channels and pick one suitable for your dog to listen to.  Try the Spa channel or the Nature channel.  I also highly recommend: The Most Relaxing Classical Music Series at http://bit.ly/cOSUvj