Should You Leave the Radio or TV On for Your Dog?
As a pet parent, you may wonder if you should leave the radio or TV on for your dog while you are away from home. For a quick answer, leaving a radio or TV on for your dog can help calm them down and lower occurrences of separation anxiety. Not only that, but the sound of a radio or TV can help block out other noises like neighbors walking by, other dogs barking, or deliveries.
The choice of dog radio or TV depends on the individual dog or dogs. Keep in mind that the radio does not have a visual component so the sound of voices and music may be more soothing and less likely to cause reactions. On the other hand, if you leave the TV on, the dog could react to various sounds included in the audio as well as the images that might include other animals such as dogs, cats, or birds. Some dogs react to cartoon characters, the sounds of bells on a game show, or other animals making noises in movie scenes.
To keep things interesting, dog owners can purchase the TV network specifically made for dogs through most cable providers. The programming is designed to calm the dog with soothing music and videos. There are dogs that don’t even look at the picture on the television and they just pay attention to the sounds. This is totally fine! Dogs that do watch the TV can be calmed by seeing the images of other dogs on the screen, while other dogs may react and bark.
Using the radio or TV for your dog may do the trick as far as treating separation anxiety goes. Voices talking quietly or calm songs on the radio may be enough to help a dog believe that people are with them. It also does a good job of serving as a distraction or helping with boredom. You may also train a dog to connect the sound of the radio or TV as a cute that it is a safe time to relax and have some quiet time. Just do your best to avoid playing any loud noises – fireworks, explosions, loud music, etc. Give the radio or TV a chance the next time you leave the house. It may change your dog’s behavior for the better!
