Christmas songs: Does YOUR dog have a favourite Xmas tune?
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Does your dog have a favourite Christmas classic to groove, or... howl along to?
Sounds barking mad, right? Well, new research from the charity Guide Dogs has revealed which festive tracks dogs like best.
They surveyed 1,000 dog owners across the UK and found that pups prefer upbeat hits over traditional carols.
And, according to their research, Last Christmas by Wham! is their festive favourite and top of the canine Christmas charts! Coming in a close second was Jingle Bells, with Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas in third.
We want to know if your dog likes music. If so, do you think they have a favourite Christmas track? Let us know in the comments below...
If you cannot see the quiz, click here.
The study found that 33 percent of dog owners are more likely to prioritise their dog's taste in music over their parents and 23 percent said they would pick their dog's choice over their friend's.
It might seem funny, but 90 percent of those asked said their dogs like music, and a quarter of dog owners said that playing Christmas classics helped their dogs to feel 'calm or comfortable.'
1. Last Christmas, Wham! (10%)
2. Jingle Bells (9%)
3. All I Want For Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey (6%)
4. Driving Home For Christmas, Chris Rea (6%)
5. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, Wizzard (6%)
6. Merry Xmas Everybody, Slade (6%)
7. Silent Night (6%)
8. Fairytale of New York, The Pogues (5%)
9. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, Michael Bublé (6%)
10. Wonderful Christmastime, Paul McCartney (5%)
Chief Scientific Officer at Guide Dogs, Dr Helen Whiteside, said: "As we look forward to spending the festive period with friends and loved ones, this Christmas will be a step change for an entire generation of new dogs born during lockdown. Houses are likely to be busier than normal and many dogs' routines will change.
"Music is often used to calm dogs in times of change and stress, so it is unsurprising that it will play a key role for dogs this Christmas."
This isn't the first time Christmas songs and dogs have hit the headlines together. Last year, a Christmas track was composed especially for our canine companions.
Based on scientific research and input from vets and animal behaviourists, the track called Raise the Woof! was created to make our four-legged friends feel happy and content.
Guide Dogs' Chief Scientific Officer Dr Helen Whiteside shares some nuggets of wisdom
Start off at a low volume - dogs have super sensitive hearing.
Take cues from your dog's behaviour - falling asleep to music can be just as good a review as them dancing or wagging their tail.
Play something familiar to your dog at times of change or when you house is louder or busier.
Playing music in the car can be a good distraction for them if they tend to get travelsick.
Show how the music makes you feel - dogs respond to how their owners feel, so if they see you happy and enjoying music they are more likely to as well!
Don't just play music when the dog is home alone - if this is normally the only time music is played your dog will associate music with you leaving the house.
- Published18 November 2020
- Published23 December 2021