Horses and humans share the most closely related hearing ranges of any other mammals on the planet. The human frequency hearing range is 20Hz to 20,000Hz -- the frequency hearing range of a horse is 55Hz to 33,500Hz. A whisper in his ear, or a personalized whistle from the barn to come in from the field, represent a significant aspect of how we connect to and bond with our horses through sound.

Sounds trigger both positive and negative behaviors in horses. An inability to flee the paddock during a loud thunderstorm can cause high agitation. A sudden jarring noise or shrill frequency can tense muscles, causing stress. Providing the best sonic environment for your horse can be as important as giving him the best veterinary care and diet. One tool you can use to balance his environment is music.

The Equine Network #AskAnnie Podcast Hosted by Annie Kennedy

In Episode 62 I sat down with Dr. Sarah Ruess of Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Health and Janet Marlow of Pet Acoustics to discuss their project, Relax Trax. We discuss how these two masterminds worked together on this project, how horses are impacted by sound, and how Relax Trax can work in conjunction with other products like ULCERGARD. Tune in to hear this awesome conversation and their advice on preventative measures to take to reduce stress in your horse anywhere you like to listen to podcasts or by using the link below:

https://apple.co/38QAP0n

Observing your horse’s ears in response to sound is one of the most insightful key that trigger equine behaviors. Today, caregiving to our animals is evolving to better health and understanding. We are learning more and more how to balance their needs for well-being and sound as a trigger for behavior is an important tool and understanding for their best life!

Purposeful scenarios using Pet Acoustics equine music

While riding – Playing music while you’re on the trail adds an entertaining dimension to riding for you and your horse. However, for safety’ make sure the volume level doesn’t overwhelm your ability to hear what’s going on around you.

In the barn -- Play the music at a moderate level on your sound system. Horses don’t need loud music to experience the sound waves. Position the sound source at approximately ear level or slightly above your horse’s head so he can both feel and hear the music.

During farrier, dental and veterinary visits – These are often not a horse’s favorite experiences, so play music to distract him and diminish anxiety. Music also helps mask sounds from any medical equipment being used.

For massage and grooming -- Horses love to be massaged. Use music to bring your horse into a deeper state of relaxation.

During post-surgery recuperation -- Music is especially beneficial for horses on stall rest while recovering from surgery. It will allow for deeper muscle relaxation during difficult stages of healing.

For trailer transport -- Engine frequencies and vibrations are very potent to equine ears. Music can help him feel a little less anxious, especially when he’s being backed into the trailer.

Masking thunderstorms -- Thunder can reach volumes up to 115 decibels. The horse and human hearing comfort range is 60 to 80 decibels. If thunder is disturbing to you, you’ll understand why it can trigger behaviors of anxiety and flight in your horse.

For therapeutic riding -- Blood pressure studies that compared the cortisol levels of riding horses, racehorses and therapy horses revealed that the latter have the highest levels, which means they have the highest levels of stress. The ability of therapy horses to restrain their behaviors during student/instructor/horse sessions is a remarkable empathic trait, but also physically distressing. Playing calming music during student/horse sessions can make the experience more entertaining while helping the horse feel calmer.

Does your dog have singing talent to win a DogGrammy?

Pet Acoustics has created The 1st Singing DogGrammy Award Contest culminating with a live event on June 15th to announce the winner!!

The talented canine winner will receive $250.00 cash, (1) Pet Tunes Canine, (1) Ultra Calmer Collar , (1) Fit Tunes and (1) Pet Acoustics Logo Hat.

How to participate:

Record your dog singing

Go to this Link: https://www.facebook.com/SingingDogGrammyAward

Post the video on Send Message with your dog’s:

Name and your email address

Join the Pet Acoustics Award Event Live!! on June 15th on facebook.com/petacoustics with the announcement of the talented canine winner!!

When a storm is occurring in your area, it is heartbreaking to see your wonderful dog panting, pacing and drooling in a highly anxious state. You’d like to hold your dog and help her break out of this behavior, but more often than not your loving efforts are to no avail. Dogs and cats can also suffer static shocks in the buildup to a thunderstorm. If you become nervous or anxious yourself, your dog may mirror your behavior. “There’s something about their makeup that makes their thresholds for developing this, or their ability to recover, lower than that of other animals,” says Lore Haug, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist at Texas Veterinary Behavior Services.

The decibel range of a thunderstorm is between 100 dB to 115 dB, way beyond the safety range for canine ears. Thunder also occurs in the infrasonic range (below 20 Hz), which is inaudible to humans. During a storm, pressure will occur in a dog’s ear, which is experienced as a pulsating sensation. Both ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds can be observed in the same thunderstorm. A clap of thunder can reach 120 dB. So, you can understand why a thunderstorm is an intense experience for their ears and ours.

 A dog will want to escape to safety, and the shift to flight-or-fight behavior can happen quickly. Pet parents have shared with me stories of their dog jumping into a bathtub, shaking under a bed, and running right through electric fences. If a dog lives in an area that has rolling thunderstorms due to afternoon heat, the dog will develop storm phobia, which will need a behaviorist and calming tools to overcome. There are also hereditary predispositions to fear or anxiety reactive to thunderstorms, especially common in some hunting and herding breeds which includes the German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Havanese, Shorthaired Pointer, Vizsla, and Bichon Frise.

 Young dogs and senior dogs display fear of thunderstorm sounds for different reasons than adult dogs. To a young dog, storms are a new experience to learn and can be terrifying as awareness grows. Senior and geriatric dogs, whose hearing has greatly diminished, will still experience the pressure of sound by absorbing vibrations in their bodies and through their paws, which can be disorienting.

 To assist a young pup in desensitizing to loud noises like thunderstorms or fireworks, you can pop bubble wrap in a room where they are. First, use your Decibel App to test the loudness of the pop yourself. Have your dog smell the sheet of bubble wrap to know where the sound is coming from. Then, keeping a distance from your dog in the room, pop one bubble and stop, then say “It’s okay.” During another session, pop two bubbles and repeat saying “It’s okay.” Evaluate your pup’s response to see if it lessens reactive behavior as you increase the experience. Make sure to keep the bubble wrap away from your dog’s head and ears.  Your reassurance by saying “It’s okay” will be good practice for when you and your dog are on the street and there's a loud pop sound that may startle your dog. Desensitizing your dog to street sounds, trucks and car horns is a good practice when they are young to minimize noise phobias later on.

 For adult dogs and cats, playing Pet Acoustics music will mask the thunderstorm sounds. For senior and geriatric pets, it’s best to confine their movement to one area or room to prevent injury during agitated roaming.

For Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating YOU being a Dog Mom or a Cat Mom!

Pet Acoustics announces our special partnership with Basepaws, a pet health & genetics company. Starting now, see their special Mother’s Day Gift Guide discount offer for a Cat DNA Test to know your cat better. Basepaws helps you discover more about our cat's genetic background, lineage, health, traits, – what a great gift for Mother’s Day!

Daphne and Rigby

I was walking Rigby (on right) in a nearby park, when we spotted another Springer Spaniel for a tail wagging meet and greet. “Daphne” was introduced as a 12 year old female who had recently lost her hearing a few weeks ago, the pet parent shared. She expressed to me that she is now trying to re-train Daphne to respond to hand signals for behavioral direction when needed. As a sound behaviorist, this inspired me to share with you the importance of teaching your dog hand signal behavioral training as well as verbal training before your dog loses hearing which is inevitable starting in senior age so you can be prepared.

Listening communications by our dogs are so much part of their relationship with us along with visual cues. Our movement is an energy that our dogs look to for direction. Just getting up from a couch can mean it’s treat time, meal time or time to go for a walk and your dog is cued and ready. They do the same with us. Getting a toy, playing with it a bit and then dropping it in front of our feet is an invitation to play. No words needed!

Even though my years of research and focus in the science of sound and how a dog hears, I am keenly aware that behind it all is a field of energy that is a silent communication. Dogs are energy beings. Even when a dog is completely deaf, the energy of movement and sound is felt through your dogs paws and body. To know this makes this stage of senior life easier for you to transition your communication from verbal to intention through energetic communication. You only have to look at the language of signing by the deaf community to observe the energy of this beautiful language.

Whether you use verbal direction or hand communication, it’s all fun for your dog. If you already have hand signals with verbal directions for your dog (with or without treats in hand) you can forgo speaking these out loud and you will see the good results and be prepared for later on in your dogs life when hearing diminishes.

Here are some common hand signal gestures that you probably already do with your dog but can practice without sound.

Whenever you notice your senior is not responding to you as always, make sure to take your dog for a veterinary visit to check their ears for infection , excessive wax or senior hearing loss. At home you can test your dog’s hearing by taking our Home Pet Hearing Test which will tell you if there is partial or full hearing loss in 1 minute, at any age.

Please write to me if you have any questions about your dog’s hearing and behavior. hello@petacoustics.com There is also a lot of information in my latest book, What Dogs Hear: From Puppy to Senior.

Thousands of animal shelters across the globe share the goal of inspiring people to adopt. Approximately, 7.6 million companion animals enter shelters in the U.S. every year. Pet Acoustics, a global pet brand, produced a motivational song and video for animal rescue organizations to boost support and inspire new adopters.  

Animal rescue organizations can freely download to use the Rescue, Rescue song and video as an uplift to their campaigns and noble cause of helping those who have no voice. The lyrics are catchy to the ear with driving beats with a video story created to motivate adoption. Rescue, Rescue is written and sung by William Johnson, founder of Beats By Make. Pet Acoustics founder, Janet Marlow, wrote the lyrics and created the video production as The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative.

Rescue, Rescue is a story of one person’s search for a beloved companion to give them a forever home. 

Then I brought you home, Every day you lift my soul 

You’re life is warm and safe, You make mine truly whole

You’re no longer abandoned, Your safe from head to tail

Adopted from the shelter, You rescued me as well

“The sentiment of rescuing an animal begins with a burning desire that one’s heart is called to do. I know so many stories of people who, once they decide to adopt, will search and search until they find their beloved companion, myself included. It’s a journey of goodness and love. We want everyone to share and enjoy this song.” Janet Marlow, Founder and CEO of Pet Acoustics.

The Rescue, Rescue - The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative song is available on all streaming platforms, including, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Pandora, Amazon, and iHeartRadio.

Watch and Download the video form the Pet Acoustics Youtube channel. Please share this video!!

The video is a give back to the pet community from the team at Pet Acoustics, which we have served since 2009.  We know that fundraising and support for each of the thousands of rescue organizations is motivated by the most dedicated people. We want to make this effort easier for them, with a media platform that gets straight to the heart of the world of rescue. 

Pet Acoustics Inc. has helped thousands of pets worldwide to overcome behavioral and environmental stress. Their popular clinically proven products, Pet Tunes Canine and Pet Tunes Feline are used by pet parents, rescue shelters and veterinarians to calm pets. The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative offers special discounts to purchase and gift to rescue shelters. Learn more here.

William Johnson, Singer, Composer, Engineer Janet Marlow, Composer, Sound Behaviorist

The Collaboration Back Story

Before Janet’s dedication to animals and leading Pet Acoustics’s mission, she was an international performer and recording artist. In the early 90’s as soon as digital composing came into being, she was one of the first to jump on board. Excited to educate others, she offered a course at a school to interested young people. William Johnson was one of those students. A few years later, The Janet Marlow Trio was performing, where backstage a fan came up to her and said I’d like to produce your next recordings. Amazingly, that was Will’s Dad, Taylor Johnson, a master recording engineer. The following six years, Taylor Johnson and Janet Marlow produced three albums, Passion & Grace, Essence and Latin Lover available on all streaming platforms. During this time Janet and Will reconnected as he too became a recording engineer, creating beats for hip hop artists and other recordings, called Beats By Make.

A few months ago, Janet reached out to Will with the project, which has now become The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative.

Pet Acoustics Inc. has helped thousands of pets worldwide to overcome behavioral and environmental stress. Their popular clinically proven products, Pet Tunes Canine and Pet Tunes Feline are used by pet parents, rescue shelters and veterinarians to calm pets.

The Pet Acoustics Rescue Initiative offers a 15% discount to purchase and gift these calming music products to rescue shelters, foster homes, and for veterinary clinics with the Code: GIVETUNES at checkout. Click on SHOP. Portions of sales support animal rescue organizations for Ukraine.

I’ve been writing meditations for my dog, Rigby and I to calm into and I’d like to share them with you. Here is a five minute meditation called “The River”. I hope you and your pet enjoy it too! Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist, Founder of Pet Acoustics.

Here are five benefits you and your pets will enjoy through a shared meditation practice:

1. Strengthen Safety and Trust

Often humans lack the ability, or in some cases the desire, to create a truly safe environment in which pets can flourish. Without a sense of stability, especially in their early developmental phases, many animals may begin to feel and act from a place of insecurity and fear—which can be particularly true for adopted rescue friends. The experience and emotions you invoke in them from the beginning either builds confidence and lessens fear, or it erodes one of the most important aspects of relationships: trust. Just as you feel more grounded following your own meditation practice, so do your furry companions. Find a quiet spot where you and Rex can practice together daily, and watch your bond grow.

2. Reduce Stress

Among other positive influences of a regular meditation practice, your stress response takes a much-needed break (this is also why a good night’s rest is so important). When you lessen the stress response of the body, its natural healing capabilities are able to go to work. This is especially important for older, ailing, or otherwise compromised animals. In fact, a rejuvenated body and mind, along with the other benefits you experience as a result of meditation, is something that may end up being one of your pet’s favorite benefits of being with you (although they probably wouldn’t turn down a tennis ball if offered!).

3. Harmonize and Attune Energy

When meditating, you are naturally in a calmer and more passive state. Your energy center tends to open and realign when you’re in the practice. As energy isn’t bound by the physical body, and is not limited to human bodies, you and your pet can merge together on this subtle, yet powerful level. This is the same energy that draws animals to certain people more readily, or causes them to react strongly to someone new. Meditation helps to deepen the bond and understanding between you and your pet.

4. Build a Bridge of Communication

Your intention of peace and harmony is like a safety blanket to an animal who desires bonding. This is especially true for animals who aren’t yet confident in their surroundings, or perhaps feel confused by the circumstances happening around them. In the silence of meditation, the messages of your heart energy can be felt by your pet on a vibrational level. Another way to connect to your pet is to partner your breathing for a minute or so. While sitting quietly with your companion, place your hand on their chest area and bring your attention to the movement of their breathing. Then, as long as it’s comfortable for you, match your breathing pattern to theirs. Take a few moments to tune in to your physical and energetic union.

5. Thrive with Daily Routine

Instinctively, animals align themselves with the rhythms of nature. Since this is their natural inclination, a daily routine helps them to stay more balanced—and potentially healthier overall. Practicing meditation first thing in the morning is the best bet for committing to a daily routine. Even five or 10 minutes will help start the day with a calmer, clearer mind and an alert, but relaxed body. Set your clock a few minutes earlier each morning, find a comfortable place to sit with your pet, and give yourselves the gift of silence. You’ll be reaping the reward in no time at all.

There are many wonderful ways to share time with your companion animals, yet doing something like meditation together may be one of the most meaningful. Meditation can help improve your overall health and well-being, and can make a huge difference in theirs as well. And with all the unconditional love they give to you each day, they deserve the very best in return.

Excerpts from Chopra.com

2022 for Pet Acoustics means new innovative products for happier pets. Our #4 podcast shares the details of the First Ever Home Pet Hearing Test launching in February! Why guess when you can know? Especially senior dogs that usually lose their hearing before we’re aware that they have. Puppies also need to be tested. The Pet Acoustics Home Hearing Test is an easy and convenient way to discover how well your pet hears at any age. Have some treats ready and you and your pet will enjoy this informative and fun experience.

Listen to Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist and Alan Brennan on We’re All Ears! # 4 podcast.