It comes from the Doggy News e-mail that I subscribe to. Sadie has zero problems with separation anxiety, but I know that many 43Ters worry about this problem with their pets. So I thought I’d post the info here.

Dog owners sometime ask, “Does music soothe pets the same way it can relax people?”

Many of our dog lovers have asked about what they can do when their pets become anxious or nervous.

Some of you have said that your pets become upset when they are left home alone for any period of time. That’s a common problem. Others have mentioned your dog’s anxiety or carsickness when traveling in the car. Some pets become very anxious when they are in unfamiliar surroundings. And some actually throw up or chew away areas of their hair and skin during thunderstorms, or when they hear loud noises like fireworks. When they are stressed, many dogs are likely to hide and not be found. Some dogs get manic and run away.

Pet anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways. We love our pets, so of course we worry. We don’t want to see them upset or stressed out.

Some pet owners have tried creative ways to ease their pets’ stress, like leaving the TV or radio on for “company” when they leave their pets home alone. But that could actually be doing more harm than good.

Studies have suggested that TV and radio can actually CREATE stress for our pets because of the drastic changes in programming and the random mix of musical styles. The TV and radio certainly create “noise,” but they don’t necessarily create a relaxed environment.

Music Eases Pet Anxiety – But Not Just ANY Music Will Do

Music is good for the soul. They say it calms the savage beast. And it turns out that’s more than just an old wives’ tale. It’s a proven fact.

Classical harp music is used around the world to help alleviate stress and heal sickness in dogs, cats, chimpanzees and other animals. Even animal shelters are now spend big bucks for sound systems and music to create a more serene environment. Studies show that dogs and cats prefer classical music. Cats will relax in front of the speakers when classical music is playing, and dogs will actually bark less – especially when listening to the music of Bach.

Our pets respond favorably to classical music under stress-inducing situations, often slipping into a very serene and peaceful state of mind after only a few minutes of listening. But not all classical music will have the same calming effect. For the music to soothe a pet, it must have a soothing dynamic from start to finish – which is not the case with most “off-the-shelf” classical music