A Selection of Sound Stories You’ve Shared with Us
From Karen in Hellertown, PA:
“I suppose I am just a little anxious to receive your music since I already now see the immediate response with my dogs just from the little sample sound clips on your website. As we speak, my son’s pit bull is visiting and suffers greatly from separation anxiety when my son leaves him for minutes or hours. It breaks my heart to watch this wonderful dog panic and go from window to window looking for him.
At this very moment, my son is outside and has been for almost an hour, and I have repeatedly played the clips from your website and his dog is calmly sleeping at my feet. I find this completely amazing and a miracle for all dogs who suffer from any form of anxiety.
Congratulations and a wish for continued success with your new business endeavor. You are truly providing a true service for pet owners.”
From Phyllis about Risby:
“I saw on CBS news about the new book, ‘Through a Dogs Ear.’ I was fascinated by your slower classical music. It was amazing to see how calm the dogs became.
I have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. He cannot stand any noise at all. He barks most of the day about different sounds he hears, like the phone, doorbell, a helicopter, or a plane. When I turn on the shower he gets crazy excited. I actually am getting afraid he is becoming overly aggressive about it and I try to sneak away from him and the only way he will stay away is if I put the gate at the bottom of the stairs. He also can hear the phone ring before it rings. I thought my husband was just kidding me when he said he saw Risby do it. When I heard it, I just shook my head.
I know I will be getting the CDs you have, because he hates the radio too. If we go out for a few hours I like the TV to be on and my husband always turns it off and turns on the radio. I make sure it goes to a talk show or something like that because Risby is so sensitive. Every night after 10PM, a plane starts to descend to the local airport and he growls about that. One day a plane came close over our house and it was the loudest I ever heard. Risby went outside with me and looked up and he ran after it and just went ballistic! I had to bring him in and calm him down. Thunder storms come and he wants to go out and get ‘em. That is all because he can't stand the noise.
I’ve had a few dogs in my 57 years, but this one is the most sensitive to noise. God bless you on your further studies with dogs. I love them all. Risby is named after a town in England where he was born.”
From Trish in Shorewood, IL:
“Zima (a Majenkir Borzoi) sings along to music on the CD player and to music played and sung on the piano. She will even sing if someone is singing without accompaniment. In certain instances Koti (a Avegadro Italian Greyhound) will also howl along. Not as often as Zima does though and she gets right up into my face while she is singing. If I compliment her, she smiles.”
From Sandy in Coral Springs, FL:
“I have 2 miniature dachshunds and I know soft music always calms them. Since they were puppies I would sometimes sing them very soft pretty songs and they would fall asleep in my arms. Also, when I put them in the car to go to the vet they get nervous and start whining. I'll sing to them and they quiet down right away!”
From Karen in Portsmouth, NH:
“Back in 1997, I discovered that my greyhound Misty loved the sound of my clarinet-playing. I was also volunteering my playing (solo clarinet) at a nursing home and one day she asked to go with me. The combination of her, the music, and the elderly people added up to something greater than the parts. At that point, I knew I'd found
something wonderful.
Now, many years later, all our greyhounds (over the years we've adopted new ones as the old ones have passed on) have continued to love the music. They all have worked as therapy-dogs, alongside the music, in nursing homes. (There are photos at www.clarinet-therapy.com)
Last year, I recorded a CD of nature sounds and solo clarinet. I often play it for my retired-dogs (who no longer go to work with me - I'm a certified, paid, therapeutic musician.) It's soothing for them in the house, or in the car. I should add that all our greyhounds are former racing dogs, and none ever seemed to have been exposed to live music.”
From Gleason, about Reggie and Emmie:
“My two Pomeranians are a little (well, a lot) attached to me. When I leave for work Reggie seems to flip out, even though he has his own room and door to the outside. Emmie gets to come to work with me because she is a very sociable dog. The customers really love her, as well as her love for others.
My problem with Reggie is that he gets angry when I leave him at home and wants to pee on everything. Emmie, who is four pounds, suffers from mild seizures and seems to react with high volume excitement. When I listen to my Christian music the babies seem to calm down, but when I listen to BonJovi for my exercising they seem to be exercising with me. So I can hardly wait for “Music to Calm Your Canine Companion” to arrive so that I can play it at home when I am gone for both of the babies, as well as at work for Emmie. Thank you for this godsend!!!! Hurry with more!!!”
From Brenda about Pandy Max and the late Shien Chin:
“Ten years ago, after losing my husband, who was retired and stayed at home with our two beloved Shih Tzu's, I found myself in a bad situation. I worked all day and they were left to themselves and it made them so sad, which made me frantic as they were mourning my husband as much as I.
In desperation one day I bought from Avon a cassette called ‘Peaceful Playground’ that guaranteed it would ‘Reduce Your Pet's Stress and
Separation Anxiety.’ Now my family and friends already thought I was over the top with these dogs and when I purchased the tape, I thought; ‘they are right, you need help, this is stupid buying music for the boys.’
Well the day the tape came in, I had just come in from the freeway and I popped the tape in and we all fell asleep! From that moment on every night they would go to sleep by the tape and when I left town and had to put them in the kennel, the tape went too. The techs laughed at me the day I dropped them off for the first time but not after that, as I was told in amazement that when they put the tape on over the intercom system, every dog in the place shut up and settled down! The kennel loved when Pandy and Shien came to visit because the tape came too. So, 10 years ago we fell in love with using music.
Thanks for giving me a reason to throw it back in my family's face. My boys won again!! Seriously, thanks for making the country aware so more dogs can relax. I can testify it does work. My tape is worn out and only plays 5 songs so I'll buy your CD and make Pandy a happy boy! Thanks again.”
From MaryAnn in Huntsville, AL:
“I can't wait to receive the book, mostly the CD. Abby has hip and back problems and she loves it when I massage her. I usually talk to her softly while she gets her massage, it is so surprising how relaxed she becomes. I can't wait for the CD, it will add so much to our time together.
Have you thought about people who have Fibromyalga, such as myself? I am going to try it for my pain to help me relax also! Thanks so much!”
From Stephanie in Westerville, OH:
“Scarlett has no behavior issues but she really does not like to be left alone. I usually play the easy listening station on cable and she relaxes. Today, I listened to the snippet of your CD off your website. She was in another part of the house and came strolling into my office, plopped at my feet and went sound to sleep. VERY interesting because there were contractors here and that usually has her wrapped around the axle. Very much looking forward to getting the CD and Book. Good Job!
From Cori in NYC:
"Several years ago, my miniature long-haired dachshund, Puck, accompanied me on a business trip to the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland. We had been there a day or two when I was amazed to notice that Puckie somehow knew when to cross the street and when not to. I knew he couldn't possibly distinguish the traffic lights turning red and green, much lesseven catch them in his low-to-the ground sightline. Then I figured it out: The lights made one clicking noise when they turned green, and two clicks when they turned red. Completely unprompted, my brilliant little guy had taught himself the sound signals for crossing the streets of Savonlinna!"
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