Calming Pets and Canine Lullabies

Delightful progress has been made alleviating pet anxiety. There are calming herbs, flower remedies, pheromones, and now there is music. Therapeutic music for humans—based on drumming of aboriginal groups, shaman, and rituals of ancient tribes—has been researched since the early 1900’s. So much positive information has come to light that music therapy is now covered by medical plans and taught in colleges.

In his 1997 book, The Mozart Effect, Don Campbell describes the benefits of music: decreased anxiety, increased unborn and premature baby health, reduced blood pressure, and improved learning.

Based upon the human response to music, Terry Woodford produced a CD for dogs that decreases anxiety. The Canine Lullabies CD uses nursery rhymes and childhood songs with an underlying pulse of 60 beats per minute. This rhythm helps lower dogs’ heartbeat, lessen anxiety, and promote relaxation. Songs such as “London Bridge,” “Lullaby and Good Night,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” induce an almost hypnotic calm.

There are many opportunities for dogs to benefit from Canine Lullabies:

• Traveling—especially if your pet drools, is nauseated, or is upset going to the vet clinic,
• Being kenneled,
• Recovering from injury and needing to stay quiet,
• Being introduced to a new home,
• Adjusting to a death in the family or a change in family social order, and
• Waiting patiently while we’re doing office work.

Your new puppy or rescued dog may find Canine Lullabies especially comforting. One of the methods used to help puppies adjust to sleeping by themselves has been to place a ticking alarm clock in their bed. The rhythm of Canine Lullabies may be even more calming.

Often the most effective approach to anxiety is using several different methods simultaneously. For example, play Canine Lullabies in the background, put flower essenses in the water, and plug in a pheromone atomizer. Each of these affects a different area of your pet’s brain, increasing the likelihood your pet will reach a relaxed state.

Some techniques are more calming for some dogs than others, but with a new puppy or adopted pet that you do not know, begin by using multiple techniques. After a period of adjustment, you can determine which of the calming techniques is most effective.

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