Who said h**o sapiens are the only species on Earth today that enjoy music? Birds dance or even chirp along to an upbeat song. (I know my fiance’s parakeets do!) Elephants can play harmonicas and steel drums – true story. Some dogs even howl along to the lyrics of a tune that’s easy on their ears. Most music may be created by humans. However, it doesn’t mean that other life on our planet can’t enjoy the strum of a guitar or the vocals of a professional singer.
That’s why the popular music-, video-, and podcast-streaming service, Spotify, recently decided to come up with a playlist option for your pets. But it’s no joke. The company wanted to expand its listeners beyond humans because research has shown that even our canines enjoy listening to music!
You might be thinking, “How will I know what songs to add to my pet’s playlist?” I would personally experience the same problem.
Fortunately, Spotify makes it simple. When you go to Spotify.com/pets, Spotify asks you what type of pet you’re creating the playlist for. Apart from dogs, hamsters and iguanas are some of the other potential options you can pick from. The media services provider also asks about your pet’s personality. Once the platform is familiar with your pet, it automatically generates a playlist of songs it believes your pet will love.
Some might think the pet playlist option is maybe even one of those things that you try, only to realize that it isn’t as great as you thought it would be. However, before launching the new playlist option, Spotify consulted assistance from pet experts.
According to 2017 research from the University of Glasgow and the Scottish SPCA, dogs do enjoy certain types of music. After playing a plethora of genres for dogs in Dumbarton, Scotland shelters, from pop to Motown, it was concluded that most canines preferred reggae and soft rock based on their behavior and heart rates while listening. Some dogs also seemed to like listening to classical music but only for short periods of time.
But overall, “the response to different genres was mixed, highlighting the possibility that like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences,” Professor Neil Evans informed. That’s why Spotify ensures to have many genres available for our furry (or scaly or feathery) friends.
I think Spotify’s pet playlists could be helpful for nervous or lonely pets. And, who knows – maybe listening to certain songs could help some of our pets better tolerate loud Fourth of July fireworks or the separation anxiety they feel when they’re home alone.
To learn more about the new Spotify addition, watch below!
