Pet owners sometime ask, "Does music soothe pets the same way it can relax people?"

Many of our animal lovers have asked me what they can do when their pets become anxious or nervous.

Some of you have said that your pets become upset when they are left home alone for any period of time. That's a common problem.

Others have mentioned anxiety or carsickness when traveling with your cats and dogs. Some pets become very anxious when they are in unfamiliar surroundings. And some actually throw up or chew away areas of their hair and skin when they are stressed out or when they hear loud noises like thunder or fireworks. When they are stressed, many cats are likely to hide and not be found.

Pet anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways. We love our pets, so of course we worry. We don't want to see them upset or stressed out.

Some pet owners have tried creative ways to ease their pets' stress, like leaving the TV or radio on for "company" when they must leave their  pets home alone. But that could actually be doing more harm than good.

Studies have suggested that TV and radio can actually CREATE stress for our pets because of the drastic changes in programming and the random mix of musical styles. The TV and radio certainly create "noise," but they don't necessarily create a relaxed environment.

Music Eases Pet Anxiety - But Not Just ANY Music Will Do

Music is good for the soul. They say it calms the savage beast. And it turns out that's more than just an old wives' tale. It's a proven fact.

Classical harp music is used around the world to help alleviate stress and heal sickness in cats, dogs, chimpanzees and other animals. Even animal shelters are now investing in sound systems and music to create a more serene environment. Studies show that dogs and cats prefer classical music. Cats will relax in front of the speakers when classical music is playing, and dogs will actually bark less - especially when listening to the music of Bach.

Our pets respond favorably to classical music under stress-inducing situations, often slipping into a very serene and peaceful state of mind after only a few minutes of listening. But all classical music will not have the same calming effect. To sooth your pet the music must have a soothing dynamic from start to finish. But this  is not the case with most "off-the-shelf" classical music.

Popular classical music by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and others using the sounds and instruments that were proven to reduce stress in recent pet anxiety studies are the most favored.

When your pets are left at home alone, this calming collection of classical musical can provide them with a more comforting environment. Not only will this help calm your pets, it will also ease your troubled mind knowing that your pets will be fine while you're gone. 

Pets find it very soothing, and so will you!