Music's Effect on Dogs' Heart Rates

(1) King Philip Regional High School, Wrentham, Massachusetts

https://doi.org/10.59720/17-015
Cover photo for Music's Effect on Dogs' Heart Rates

The goal of this project was to determine the effect of different types of music on a dog's heart rate. Six different dogs were tested in their own homes. Each experiment was performed in a quiet room with the dog’s owner present along with the two scientists performing the testing. Five different types of music were used in the experiment. Using a stethoscope, we measured the resting heart rate prior to testing and again immediately following the test. A five-minute break was taken between each test, and two trials were completed for each test conducted. The result was a statistically significant difference in heart rate for rock and rap music (increase) and for jazz music (decrease). A caveat to this study was the relatively small number of dogs tested (six); therefore, future research with a larger sample size should be conducted to confirm these results. This information could help calm dogs in potentially stressful situations, such as the veterinary office or when traveling.

Download Full Article as PDF

This article has been tagged with: