What Does Contented Sound Like?

I don't know about you, but car rides with three canine companions can be awfully challenging, not to mention noisy. En route to the dog park in the mornings, I usually drive to a unique symphony of Sam barking and Phoebe singing--both directly into my ears (at least it seems that way.)

Imagine my surprise when I recently decided to switch on the radio's classical music station and I heard something I haven't heard in what seems like a millennium: silence. In fact, it was content silence if there is such a thing. Amos was lulled into such a peaceful state that he practically fell off the seat!

Of course, none of this should come as a surprise to those, like Lisa Spector, who have made a career out of calming music for dogs. And silly me--I actually have her CDs!! (Rest assured they are now loaded in my car CD player!)

Spector, a concert pianist with a Julliard degree, has created a series of CDs called Through a Dog's Ear, billed as the "only research-based auditory series that provides practical sound-based solutions to help your dog live a happier healthier life." I will not bore you with all the details but these CDs are based on science and Spector's performances are timed at around 50 beats per minute--which is exactly the tempo dogs like to hear. I guarantee you that whatever was playing on the radio the other day was the same tempo.

Curious? Have a look at her website and check out her interview on Dogster.com. And trust me, I will not leave home without her CDs now that I have heard the sounds of silence!