MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet retailer, has carried out research to find out what pets love listening to when their owners are out and about. This comes as 58% of people said they always leave music on in the house and 28% said they sometimes do, depending on how long they’re out for. A fewer number decide to leave the TV on instead.
In the past, it has been thought that music is an exclusively human phenomenon. However, it has been proven through various studies that animals do share our interest it. Similarly, as our pets become increasingly part of the family, we are searching for new ways to keep our pets comfortable and happy, believing that they will like the things that the rest of the family do.
When asked what music people usually leave on for their furry friends, around half of respondents (47%) said their pets like to listen to talk and music radio stations such as BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and local networks. The next most popular genre was classical music, perhaps as a result of its calming influence. Interestingly, none of the respondents said that their pets enjoy popular sounds of RnB, jazz or reggae.
When it comes to the TV, fewer people leave this on due to fire risks or simply because their pets aren’t interested in watching it. But for those who do leave it on, 21% said that their pets like to watch something animal-related, with documentaries following in second place. Interestingly, this corresponds with a recent study by Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas from the University of Central Lancashire. Hirskyj has discovered that dogs do have a preference towards watching other canines, though more often than not it’s the sound that initially attracts our dogs towards the programme.
Andrew Bucher, Chief Veterinary Officer at MedicAnimal, commented, “While I must stress that pets shouldn’t be left at home alone for more than a couple of hours, it is clear that owners are aware of their pets getting lonely and cater for this through the use of radios or television. It is common for dogs to suffer from separation anxiety which can lead to problematic behaviour such as chewing items, scratching doors or howling. However, leaving the radio on to occupy your dog and give them peace of mind can be very effective.”
