Should I Leave the TV on for My Dog?

Posted Jul 27, 2020 in Tips

Many pet parents are guilty of doing it: you’re on your way out the door, and just before you leave, you go to turn on the TV so Fido can “watch” Animal Planet while you’re away. But is this even helpful? Let’s find out!

Your Dog Might Actually Dislike the Noise

When we leave our furry friends home alone, we tend to feel a bit of guilt about leaving them behind, which is entirely normal. So to help lessen that guilt turning on the TV to help soothe our furry friends might seem like a solution to help keep them less lonely. But when it comes down to scientific studies – we actually don’t know if our pup even enjoys this extra noise. 

With felines, this is much easier to measure since cats tend to come in the same – but when it comes to dogs, you have breeds of all heights, lengths, and weights. So a conclusive study is much harder to achieve. We know from studies that cats don’t have much of an interest in our musical choices, but when it comes to canines, we aren’t so sure. 

What About Dogs with Separation Anxiety 

However, that doesn’t mean you should pull the plug on your TV before leaving that house just yet. For pups with separation anxiety, the noise can actually help them feel secure. The idea behind this is that you train your furry friend to think of the TV as a safety cue, as well as something that doesn’t remind them of you. 

In order to do this, you’ll want to start by training your canine to associate the noise with a treat and/or praise. When Fido catches on, they’ll come to understand that listening to music or the TV is a reward, and it takes some of the attention off of you. 

Other Noise Producing Options 

There are actually playlists, apps, videos, and websites dedicated to soothing our furry friends through music. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll work for your canine companion, but they’re worth a try!

The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that human music might not be the answer for every canine out there. We shouldn’t assume that by putting on classical music, our pups will instantly be put at ease. Every pooch is different, and we don’t have a lot of research about what our dogs really enjoy music-wise. So it’s up to you as their pet parent to figure out what works for them.