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PICTURE OF THE WEEK: Dog Music

Man’s best friend is furry, athletic, intelligent and good company. However, dogs can sometimes be a little noisy. In fact, New York is enacting legislation to fine owners $50 if the owner's dog barks for more than fifteen minutes a day.

But how can you stop a dog from barking? Barking is a natural part of a dog's behavior, and many different things can cause a dog to bark. The University of Belfast has the answer: serenade your dog.

The researchers aren't suggesting that you sing to your dog. Instead, you should play music for your canine pal. However, you have to be careful about what type of music you choose. The University of Belfast tested 50 dogs with a variety of music to find out if the type of music influenced the animal's behavior. Rock and heavy metal caused the dogs to bark loudly. Pop music seemed to go in one ear and out the other without having any effect at all. Classical music resulted in a calm, quiet canine.

Researchers warn that playing classical music all the time will reduce its calming effect. The more familiar the music becomes, the more the dog ignores it.

All this research has led to a new type of music: Pet Music! The New Age pet music CD combines natural sounds with classical piano tunes to calm your pet. A company named LindeTree has two music collections, Solitudes and Reflections, designed specifically for canines.

--Written by Katheryn Troyer

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