The 22 dogs working with the Madrid Police Force are detection dogs who find explosives and narcotics as well as participate in rescue missions. These dogs have demanding jobs that require intense focus and a high level of alertness. They must be ready to go at a moment’s notice, and they experience a lot of stress on the job.
The local council in Madrid oversees the police and recently renovated the living conditions for the canine members of the force. Their goal was to lower the anxiety and stress levels of the dogs. One change was to install air-conditioning to make it easier to deal with the high summer temperatures so common in the region.
Another big improvement was adding a specialized sound system to provide music therapy to the dogs. Classical music is played multiple times a day for the specific purpose of reducing stress. Research into the effects of music on kenneled dogs in shelter environments found that classical music caused dogs to sleep more and to vocalize less. Though classical music from a variety of composers can be influential, Mozart’s work is often used in experiments testing the role of music on task performance and on mood.
Do you ever play classical music for your dog?
