For many pet parents, fireworks, storms, or even leaving for work means pacing, barking, and restlessness at home. Thankfully, there are many natural ways to help ease pet anxiety. One is meditation music, which when used consistently, can help to shift those patterns.
In Episode 5 of Healing Tails, Dr. Ruth Roberts sat down with Falyn Morningstar and Ian Morris of Listening to Smile, creators of the Pet Therapy album, to explore how sound frequencies support pets and their people. This guide outlines some of Falyn and Ian’s key insights, discusses the science and research behind these practices, and offers practical steps to help you introduce calming music to your furry friend and get the best results.
Key Takeaways
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Dog calming music helps reduce stress, anxiety, and hypervigilance in pets by lowering heart rate and promoting relaxation.
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The best frequency for dog anxiety is 20–50 Hz, producing grounding tones that calm the nervous system.
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Cats also respond to music designed with feline-specific frequencies and tempos, relaxing more than with human classical music.
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Play calming music for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night to build a consistent routine that signals safety to your pet.
Want to learn more about how meditation music helps pets relax?
🎧 You can hear the full conversation in Healing Tails Episode 5 where Falyn and Ian explain how dog calming music helps pets (and their people) handle fireworks, vet visits, and daily stress.
How Sound Therapy Helps Pets Relax and Heal
Researchers now recognize sound therapy for pets as a practical way to reduce stress and support long-term health.
As Ian explained, “The power of sound healing is in the pause. It lets the shoulders drop, the breath deepens, and the nervous system finally rests."
Just as chronic stress wears down human health over time, it can quietly undermine wellbeing in animals. In dogs and cats, stress often shows up as hypervigilance; perhaps a dog barking long after the delivery truck has gone, or a cat hiding for hours after a storm.
“Wellness starts with the nervous system,” said Falyn. “Music helps reset it, by grounding the body, calming the mind, and bringing pets back to center.”
Noise phobias highlight just how powerful this can be. Almost all pet parents know the dread associated with fireworks on New Year’s Eve, Bonfire Night, or the Fourth of July, which often trigger intense fear in our dogs and cats.
Storengen & Lingaas (2015) found that nearly a quarter of dogs across 17 breeds showed fear responses to loud noises, with fireworks emerging as the most common trigger, followed by gunshots and thunderstorms.
As awareness of these issues grows, so does the body of research exploring how music can ease stress in animals. Tailored soundscapes are increasingly being used not only in homes but also in shelters, where they offer a practical way to promote calm and improve pet welfare.
What the Science Says About Music and Animal Stress
Here’s a quick look at some of the most interesting research into sound therapy for pets..
Classical Music and Kennel Dogs (Brayley & Montrose, 2016)
In one kennel study published in Science Direct, (Brayley & Montrose, 2016), dogs housed at a Scottish SPCA rescue centre were exposed to 7 days of classical music compared to silent controls.
Researchers tracked heart rate variability (HRV), salivary cortisol, and behaviour. Music exposure produced clear short-term benefits, including increased HRV (a sign of relaxation), lower heart rate, more time lying down, and less barking.
Interestingly, though, these effects faded after just a couple of days, suggesting dogs habituate quickly if the same music is played continuously. Male dogs also showed a stronger physiological response than females. The study concludes that classical music can be a powerful enrichment tool, although its impact may only last if playlists are varied or rotated.
Music Genres and Shelter Dogs (Kogan et al., 2012)
In a four-month Colorado State University study conducted in 2012, Kogan et al played shelter dogs in different music genres in 45-minute sessions with breaks of silence in between.
Classical music consistently led to calmer behaviour dogs barked less and slept more while heavy metal triggered nervous shaking. The study highlighted that even low-cost, short-term auditory enrichment can improve welfare in shelter environments.
Species-Specific Music for Cats (Snowdon & Teie, 2015)
In a 2015 study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (Snowdon & Teie, 2015), researchers tested whether “species-specific music” works better than human music for cats.
They composed pieces based on feline communication, using higher frequencies and tempos that mimic purring or kitten calls, and played them to 47 domestic cats in their homes.
Cats showed a clear preference, approaching speakers and rubbing against them significantly more when cat-specific music was played. They also responded much faster, with shorter latencies to orient or engage compared to when human classical music was used. Interestingly, younger and older cats were the most responsive, while middle-aged cats showed less interest.
The study supports the idea that music designed around a species’ natural communication cues can be a more effective enrichment tool than simply using human music..
Safe Frequency Ranges for Pet Anxiety Relief (20–50 Hz)
Building on this idea of species-appropriate sound, researchers and practitioners have also explored the role of low-frequency vibration in stress relief.
The Pet Therapy album, composed by Falyn and Ian, emphasizes low, steady frequencies in the 20–50 Hz range, which work to create a grounding effect.
“If I were to play a flute, you’d think, that’s pretty. But when I drop a bass frequency in a room, people say, ‘Whoa, I can feel this in my body.’ That bass drops the curtain on stress and lets something new happen,” Ian explained.
Evidence does also support the notion that low-frequency vibration reduces anxiety (in humans). A randomized controlled trial found that vibroacoustic therapy using low-frequency sound improved heart rate variability, a marker of relaxation, in university students.
A Simple Seven-Day Routine to Introduce Calming Music
So, how can you actually bring this into your pet’s day-to-day? The good news is you don’t need fancy equipment or hours of playlists.
Just a few minutes of calming music at the right times can make a real difference. Falyn suggests starting small and building up slowly, so your pet learns to associate the sound with comfort and safety.
“Start small with ten minutes a day. Morning is perfect to set the tone, or evening to help transition into rest. After a week, you’ll start noticing subtle changes.”
Day 1–3
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Play the track for 10 minutes morning and night
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Sit with your pet, pet or brush gently
Day 4–7
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Add a calm cue word before the track (something simple like “relax” or “easy now.” Over time, your pet will start linking that word with the music and the feeling of settling down).
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Pair sessions with water, food, or a light treat
Look for those subtle relaxation signals; a deep sigh, slow blinks, a good stretch, or your pet choosing to curl up closer to where the sound is playing can all indicate that the music is helping.
Everyday Situations Where Music Makes a Difference To Our Pets
There are a number of specific situations in which calming music for pets can be especially effective.
Playing relaxing tracks before fireworks can prevent anxiety from escalating, using it around vet visits helps pets settle, and leaving music on during alone time can often reduce barking.
“The biggest feedback we get is from people who leave it on repeat while they’re at work. Instead of barking for two hours, their dogs now curl up on the floor in a sound cocoon,” Ian told Dr. Ruth.
New adoptees have also been known to benefit from one familiar track (that was previously played at their kennels) that can create a sense of safety and continuity. And of course, the effects aren’t limited to our furry friends.
In practice, many owners find themselves sleeping better or feeling less tense while playing the tracks for their pets.
Calming Music Is a Proven Tool for Pet Stress Relief
Overall, while stress and noise sensitivity are common struggles for pets, it’s clear that calming music can make a real difference. As one literature review noted in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, “Interest in the use of music therapy as a behavioral enrichment tool in veterinary medicine is growing.”
Current research consistently shows that playing soothing tracks is a simple, science-backed way to reduce pet anxiety and promote relaxation. Just a few minutes in the morning or evening can help regulate your pet’s nervous system and create a more peaceful home environment for both pets and owners.
If you’d like to give it a go, try the Pet Therapy album from Listening to Smile and make sure to catch up with the full conversation of Healing Tails with Falyn and Ian here.
