A new album helping music-minded mutts to chill out has been made available to download online.
The Scottish SPCA has created Paws, Play, Relax after research showed certain music genres helped to lower stress hormones among stressed-out canines.
Now, the animal rescue service is making the album, penned by Bay City Rollers legend John McLaughlin, available to download and stream through Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and other similar sites.
The charity says the move has been prompted by unprecedented demand after a CD released in August flew off the shelves on its release.
The tracks on the album are based on the results of collaborative scientific research between the Scottish SPCA and Glasgow University.
The study revealed that, just like humans, dogs become easily bored if they listen to the same music continually and like variety within their playlist.
While all of the genres of music tested (classical, pop, motown, soft rock and reggae) helped to keep dogs calm, the “guinea pigs” seemed to particularly benefit from reggae and soft rock.
Song writer and producer John McLaughlin said: “As soon as I was approached about the idea of a music album for dogs I wanted to be involved.
“I’m a huge animal lover so was happy to assist in any way I could to help dogs and the charity.
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“It wasn’t easy making music that can be enjoyed by dog owners just as much as it is by their beloved pets, but it was very worthwhile and the reaction has been fantastic.
“Dogs enjoy the change of genre and also tempo which shows that they have both heart and soul – that’s why I just had to write the songs, and why people should play the album to their four-legged friends.”
Scottish SPCA head of education and policy Gilly Mendes Ferreira said: “It can often be a bit overwhelming for dogs arriving into our care as they’re in an unfamiliar environment. We’ve worked with the University of Glasgow to research ways to help relax our animals, both in the centre and in a home environment.
“The team at our centres across Scotland have been enjoying listening to the album and our dogs have had a very positive reaction to the music. They’ve been barking less, spending more time lying down and generally displaying more chilled behaviour.
“We’re continuing our research with the University of Glasgow as we’re very interested in finding even more ways we can improve the lives of our beloved pets”.
The album is available to download on all major streaming/download sites and the hard copy can be bought at scottishspcashop.org or your local Scottish SPCA centre.
