krissy Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Sorry, there's a lot of background to this before I actually get to my point.... Summit has this horrible gun and firework phobia. We adopted him a year ago in late October so both fireworks and shooting seasons were done. There was this one weird noise that happened in our neighbourhood from time to time that he was initially very frightened of when he heard it, but with a bit of training he came to not care about it. Other than that he was bomb proof. Then the May 2-4 (Victoria day in May, for non-Canadian friends on the forum) hit and we experienced firecrackers for the first time with him. Complete, sheer, utter terror. Trying to run for home, pulling on the leash, refusing treats, not listening to simple command... your typical greyhound statue. Got a DAP collar... which if anything seemed to make his terror worse.... I'm not really sure how that is possible and maybe it was a coincidence but it sure didn't help. Got a Thundershirt which didn't seem to help much either. So when Canada Day (July 1) rolled around I just tried to not walk him after dusk to try to avoid possible firecrackers. Fast forward to August. I take him to agility class and I hear the popping of distant gun fire. Summit doesn't seem to care. So I keep reinforcing his not caring by giving treats. about 15-20 minutes after arrive he SUDDENLY hears the gun fire and starts losing it. Total melt down. Puddle on the floor. Moved to a different trainer in the outskirts in the other direction. Turns out there's a gun club there too. Again, total panic. Trainer suggests we try Rescue Remedy. So we do. That seems to decrease the need for flight but not much else. It basically just took the edge off. But does he respond to the sound of fireworks or guns in the house? Nooooo. Guns on t.v., BF playing video games. Could care less. So much for my idea of playing YouTube videos and desensitizing him. But take him for a walk and now he hears things that sort of sound like gun shots (car doors shutting, that "popping" noise that car tires make on even spots in pavement, basketballs being bounced) and while he doesn't melt down you can tell he hears them and they get his attention. And sometimes he goes into flight mode over things I didn't even hear. The ears are straight up almost ALL the time when we walk. When I worked in animal hospitals before I got into vet school I would sometimes sing to the recovering surgery animals or other animals that were really timid/scared/anxious. I'm no American Idol, but I've got a decent voice and like to sing. I found it really seemed to calm a lot of animals. So I started singing to Summit on our walks sometimes. But we walk briskly for up to an hour, which is really not conducive to singing. It did seem to make him less alert to his surroundings though, so I've started carrying my IPOD on walks. I hold it in my left hand with the leash so it's right about ear level for Summit. I crank the volume as loud as it'll go (which isn't very) and we walk. Amazingly he is SO much less at attention. The ears spend most of their time back in their normal neutral position as is more typical for him, and he hasn't freaked out over anything that I can't hear... yet. So my question is this... is there really a calming influence of music? Or am I just masking really faint sounds that only he could hear before, and now that he can't he has nothing to freak about? P.S. I play random music on our walks. Most dance music and rock and roll, but sometimes musicals. I stay away from the classical just because it's not as loud, and not as interesting for me on a walk. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of music I play though. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 No clue as to the answer to your questions, but interesting observations.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I think of it as helpful. If there's no real noise and all of a sudden there's loud scary noise it's very obvious. If there's music or other background it's not sudden and scary, because you're expecting noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 YES! 100%, I beleive it. I've noticed that on Saturdays if I clean house in the morning and play Charolette Church (yes, laugh at me, I'm a geek for listening to her), Bella is out after a few songs, but if don't have the music blasting she's up and walking around, getting bored.I'm even starting to notice a trend between the radio and Charolette Church music. I have two cd's of hers, you are more than welcome to borrow one and see for yourself Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 After reading your post I got curious and googled "headphones for dogs", not really expecting anything much. What got me thinking was if your dog wore headphones you wouldn't have to hold the ipod all the time and also not worry about other people being bothered by the music. So I found these specially designed dog headphones: http://www.earplugstore.com/mumufordo.html. The headphones serve as noise reducer. While it's probably not the solution for your problem, I still thought it was at least an interesting idea. It would look silly, that's for sure, and it may not even be safe for a dog on a walk since he'd not hear things he needed to hear in an emergency nor your commands... however, I wonder whether this could help dogs indoors when freaking out over thunderstorms/fireworks/gunshots etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 After reading your post I got curious and googled "headphones for dogs", not really expecting anything much. What got me thinking was if your dog wore headphones you wouldn't have to hold the ipod all the time and also not worry about other people being bothered by the music. So I found these specially designed dog headphones: http://www.earplugstore.com/mumufordo.html. The headphones serve as noise reducer. While it's probably not the solution for your problem, I still thought it was at least an interesting idea. It would look silly, that's for sure, and it may not even be safe for a dog on a walk since he'd not hear things he needed to hear in an emergency nor your commands... however, I wonder whether this could help dogs indoors when freaking out over thunderstorms/fireworks/gunshots etc. That's really neat. I think they'd be cool for dogs with thunder phobias when they're in the house. Summit could care less about anything when he's in the house. I don't mind holding the ipod... it's kind of nice to have music on our walk, and there's never anyone around when we walk because it's usually at off hours from most of the other dogs in our neighbourhood (plus now that it's getting cold and dark a lot of people don't walk their dogs anymore... just let them out in their backyards). I had thought about putting cotton balls in his ears, but I didn't like that idea because then he can't hear me either. And then that's when I got to thinking about music. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dante2zoe Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 My female is space agressive. When I am just taking the greyhounds in the car, she rides shotgun (seat belted with the air bag off) and the boys ride in the back. I always have the radio or ipod on and would sing to her as we drove. She would tilt her head like she was listening. When the whippet comes along, too, Zoe goes in the back with the other greys. If she starts to snark, I play her music for her and she calms down. She tends to prefer Train or Maroon 5. Sounds crazy, but you can tell. I don't know if it is the tone or that a lot of the music is more acoustic or what. But, I don't fix what ain't broke! Quote Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 I truly believe that music is a calming influence. We play a radio in the kennel for boarders 24/7. Usually country. I leave the radio on at home, too, when I'm out. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 The TV is on in our house 24/7. If we are not home or in bed, it's tuned to a music channel, usually soundscapes or some such touchy-feely naturey sounds. I think it serves as background. From what I know, most kennels leave a radio on also. The choice of music is left up to whoever turns out the lights, country, rock, metal, head-banger... :lol Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonsmom Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I truly believe that music is a calming influence. We play a radio in the kennel for boarders 24/7. Usually country. I leave the radio on at home, too, when I'm out. Oh.. My Minty would give your choice of genre a paws up! Johnny Cash is her favorite. She'll lay happily, eyes half closed; half in dreamworld; and once the music stops.. the head comes up.. she looks around.. and whines til I start it again. Thankfully now with the IPOD it can play much longer, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest freightsmom Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) Victoria Stillwell spoke this weekend at a greyhound event about music helping our dogs. She partnered with Through a Dog's Ear to develop CDs that help with the common fears of dogs. Here's the link to the CDs and info about them ....http://positively.com/products/cnp/ Edited November 14, 2011 by freightsmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rschultz Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I am a music teacher so yes, I think music can soothe dogs. When we first brought Lexie home, we kept the radio on for her at night. The oldies since that's what they played at the kennel. I did some experimenting and found she prefered oldies over classical or rock....lol.. Oh and she doesn't like to hear single instruments played.. Maybe I just need to practice more?? Quote Lexie is gone but not forgotten.💜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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