Dog anxiety: The music and TV genres that calm dogs the most
From walks in the park to barking matches with the neighbour's dog, there are many ways in which dogs can become overexcited or stressed. So, how can dog owners help their pets relax in the evening and set them up for a good night's sleep?
Using a dog fitness tracker, Betway asked dog owners to monitor how relaxed their furry friends are when listening to different music genres, as well as whilst watching a range of TV shows. Keeping this fitness tracker on their dog's collar overnight, participants were also asked to record the following morning how well their dog slept to reveal which musical genres and TV shows are the best for helping dogs sleep soundly.
Playing folk, jazz, or pop music before bed gives dogs the best night's sleep
When it comes to a good night's sleep, folk music is the best genre to play before bedtime. Dogs who listened to this genre achieved a sleep score of 88%. One dog, in particular, scored a near-perfect score of 92% after listening to folk music, the highest sleep score recorded.
While classical music causes dogs to score highly when it comes to anxiety, it does ultimately help them sleep, scoring a sleep quality of 87%, tying with jazz music.
The worst genre for dogs to listen to before bed is metal, with this genre, the average sleep score was 76% and the lowest score recorded was 74%.
Bridgerton is the most relaxing TV show for dogs, whilst Pup Academy raises anxiety levels by 69%
Bridgerton is the most relaxing TV show for dogs. For every hour spent watching the series, dogs are at rest for an average of 37 minutes. Meanwhile, The Witcher has the opposite effect, with the amount of time spent resting averaging just 27 minutes out of every hour spent watching.
While dogs score an average of 87 anxiety points during a normal evening, this rockets up to 149 (a 69% increase) when watching Pup Academy, with one pup's anxiety level reaching 314. The show's storyline involves dogs traveling the world through magical portals to train to become man's best friend.
Rick and Morty is the best option for keeping dogs calm with an average score of 75, 13 points lower than the average anxiety score for a normal evening.
