Calming Nature Sounds & Music

Animals, especially those in new and, perhaps, scary situations such as being in a new foster home can benefit greatly from calming white noise. Studies have shown that low intensity classical music is calming to both people and animals. Natural sounds such as birds and crickets also promote a sense of well being since birds will only sing when they feel safe.

Desensitizing Sounds Library

The world is filled with a lot of noise and it is a great idea to habituate animals to the sounds they will encounter. This is especially true for young puppies and kittens who are more open to new experiences than adults. If you’re raising a litter, you can start playing desensitizing sounds shortly before their ears open around 3 weeks.

Play these sounds no more than one hour per day. Start with a very low volume (remember, their hearing is better than yours). You have the right volume when they take notice of the sound but go back to what they are doing. If they hide, huddle together, leave the room, tuck their tails or pin their ears back then it is too loud or scary. Either turn the volume down, use positive reinforcement to encourage them to reengage, switch to a different set of sounds, try again when they are sleeping or try again another day.