Should You Leave The Radio/TV On For Your Pets?

When you’re leaving the house, should you leave the radio/TV on for your pets?

It’s up to you!

While the data is limited, there are studies such as the one conducted in 2002 by animal psychologist Deborah Wells from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland 1 2 that indicate it can be beneficial to leave on the radio/TV for your pet but only if it’s playing the right kind of content – most notably classical music. But really, each animal has their own preference and it’s up to you to experiment with what works best for your pet. Some dogs liked heavy metal while others liked the sound of people talking.

What if I don’t have a Radio/TV?

With many of us moving to subscription based streaming you might find yourself without a TV or radio. There are streaming TV stations that are designed to cater to our canine and feline companions but if you have cut the cord there are numerous YouTube channels out there. Keep in mind, any media that runs advertisements can have suddenly loud and jarring sounds that can disturb your pet. One of my cats is currently recovering from a cystotomy so we’ve been enjoying the videos by Paul Dinning on YouTube. Some places like the Monterey Bay Aquarium offer livestreams of their various exhibits. These livestreams tend to have some calming background music but you can search for ones that don’t.

Do you leave the TV on for your pets? What about the radio? Let us know in the comments what your pets favorite thing to listen or watch is.