Published in Animals (Volume 11), this study offers an important refinement to the broader field of auditory enrichment for dogs. While music therapy for shelter and kennelled dogs is widely discussed, remarkably few studies have examined the mechanistic drivers behind why certain sounds soothe or stimulate. Amaya and colleagues focused specifically on pitch and tempo as potential determinants of canine behavioural change.
Ten kennelled dogs were exposed to high-pitch, low-pitch, fast-tempo, slow-tempo tracks, as well as white noise and silence. Behavioural observations showed that low-pitch tracks produced the most noticeable shifts, increasing alertness and vigilance. This finding aligns with the well-established Motivational–Structural Rules (Morton, 1977), which describe how low-frequency, harsh sounds signal aggression or threat across mammalian species. Dogs may therefore interpret low-pitch music as biologically relevant cues, even when the source is artificial.
Tempo—fast or slow—had comparatively minimal behavioural impact. This challenges the popular assumption that slower music automatically produces calming effects, suggesting that frequency bands are more behaviourally salient than rhythm for dogs in confined environments.
These findings underscore a crucial nuance: not all auditory “enrichment” is enriching. Introducing sound without understanding its biological implications can increase arousal rather than reduce it. This interpretation aligns closely with the principles of NeuroBond, which emphasises environmental predictability, emotional safety, and sensory clarity. Under NeuroBond, sound becomes a form of ambient communication—a layer of the environment that can either stabilize the dog’s nervous system or activate subtle stress pathways.
For kennels, shelters, and training centres, the study provides a practical direction: avoid low-frequency, rumbling, or bass-heavy music, and prioritise higher-frequency, non-threatening acoustic profiles to support calm states. Sound is not neutral; it is a behavioural signal.
Source: Amaya, V., Descovich, K., Paterson, M. B. A., & Phillips, C. (2020). Effects of Music Pitch and Tempo on the Behaviour of Kennelled Dogs. Animals, 11. Published December 23, 2020.
