Auto Manufacturer Škoda Has Developed a Spotify Playlist for Dogs that Dislike Car Travel
Rebecca West
It was announced that automobile manufacturer Škoda teamed up with a dog behaviorist to create a playlist on Spotify designed to ease anxiety in dogs that are fearful when traveling in cars.
Interestingly, research points to six out of 10 dogs becoming anxious in vehicles. Many people only have their pets in the car for veterinarian appointments, so dogs quickly figure out the drill and are terrified once they're forced to get in. Some pet owners have dogs that get motion sickness, so they're hesitant to go for a joyride, too. Others are maybe just nervous Nellies, period.
It was also revealed that 75 percent of drivers admit to being distracted by their anxious dogs while on the road due to their behavior.
Dog behaviorist and nutritionist Anna Webb claims that the choice of music is key to keeping dogs calm in a car. "Emulating the heartbeat is thought by science to offer a calming effect. Small dogs and puppies normally have heart rates of 120 to 160 beats per minute. These songs work as they are not heavy metal or similar genres which are known to disturb sleep patterns in dogs."
She added, "I included some reggae songs on the upper end of the BPM, as it's proven dogs like reggae, so these will work well for smaller dogs, as their heartbeat is faster than bigger dogs."
The Škoda Spotify playlist is entitled "Happy Hounds," and it includes songs from artists that might spur some drivers to veer off a cliff just to make it stop. It includes ABBA, the Bee Gees, Madonna, and many others, but there are bound to be current artists, like Adele, that will be crowd-pleasers.
Webb went on to say, "We based the playlist on a deep understanding of the relationship between beats per minute and high and low frequencies. The larger the dog, the slower the normal heart rate. This means it is a slow tempo, which science has proven is calming to dogs. So slower tempo songs work for bigger dogs."
To check out who's included, go to Spotify and look up Happy Hounds.
On a side note, according to Spotify, Webb has also "partnered with Škoda to launch a podcast for dog-owners whose pooches panic and get distressed on car journeys. Backed by science, she dives into techniques and tips on how to relax your dog whilst driving. Keep your canine calm and carry on! Hosted on Acast."
