Dogs join worms in classical radio’s sanctuary of calm

We might have a new recurring feature on Scanning the Dial: “Zoology Fridays.” Or at least as long as scientists continue to study the effects of classical radio on animals.

Last week’s installment focused on the worms of Abram Sparks, which, as you might recall, became agitated by rap music and soothed by classical. This week we learned that British researchers found that classical radio had similar effects on dogs housed in a Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter. The scientists listened to recordings of the dogs made as different kinds of music were played at the facility. “The dogs spent significantly less time barking when listening to classical music as opposed to when they were listening to commercial pop music or no music at all,” said one of the report’s co-authors in the Irish Times.

But it gets better, because in this study, researchers tested both classical recordings and classical radio. And the co-author reports that “the dogs habituated more quickly to the classical radio station.” So if you’re with a classical radio station, you have a ready comeback the next time someone asks you to justify your purpose in the face of iPods, iPhones and WiMax. Just say, “Well, dogs habituate to me more quickly.”

Finally, the researcher also says that the study “will be useful information for people who have a dog that is barking and is annoying the neighbours. You have a classical radio station here, so I would suggest that they play that for the dog.” This suggests a whole new marketing strategy for classical stations. How do you target owners of barking dogs?

Photo by mi8.