Does my dog hate my music?

Have you ever seen your dog react negatively to music that you’re listening to?  It’s probably not a judgment on your musical taste, but rather a reaction to the music due to their extraordinary hearing.

Research has shown that when classical music is played for dogs, they exhibit more time resting and being quiet. On the opposite end of that spectrum, heavy metal (think “Metallica”) has been shown to increase barking and body shaking (Lindig, McGeevy, & Crean, 2020). These are negative reactions in canines but may be a demonstration of our appreciation for this type of music by humans.  

Loud music is dangerous for humans, as audiologists all know. Extended listening time to anything above 85 dB could damage hearing. Humans also cannot hear above 20,000 Hz. However, dogs can hear as high as 47,000–65,000 Hz, and discomfort levels for dogs can begin around 70 dB. It turns out their ears can make music difficult to enjoy.

Your dog probably isn’t judging your taste in music, but experts agree that if it’s too loud for you, it’s too loud for them. No heavy metal, but more classical!

References

Knorr-Evans, M. (2025). Here’s the strange reason why dogs hate certain types of music. 

Lindig, A. M., McGreevy, P. D., & Crean, A. J. (2020). Musical dogs: a review of the influence of auditory enrichment on canine health and behavior. Animals (Basel)13;10(1), 127. doi: 10.3390/ani10010127. PMID: 31941064; PMCID: PMC7022433.