Dogs Prefer Chilling Out To Reggae Music, According To New Study

Just like humans, dogs apparently have their own music preference and people would not have guessed what genre it is -- reggae.

Huffington Post reported that dogs do want some Bob Marley and Big Mountain on, too. While reggae music has been often linked to potheads, Rastafarians and Jamaicans, scientists were surprised that canines at dog shelters feel better when they listen to these skanky beats to boot.

For the study, researchers at Scottish SPCA and the University of Glasgow observed the dogs while they listen to different musical genres. With the use of heart monitors, they studied how Motown, pop, classical, soft rock and reggae music affect the canines' stress levels.

"Overall, the response to different genres was mixed highlighting the possibility that like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences," University of Glasgow professor Neil Evans said in a press release. "That being said, reggae music and soft rock showed the highest positive changes in behavior."

According to Evans, animal shelters could use this study in creating a healthy environment for the species as dogs are initially stressed and scared when they are brought into these sanctuaries.

"We want dogs to have as good an experience as they can in a shelter," Evans told The Washington Post. He added that those who consider adopting a pet "want a dog who is looking very relaxed and interacts with them."

Meanwhile, the charity Scottish SPCA responded to the study by planning to invest in sound systems with the dogs' preferred playlist.

"In the future, every center will be able to offer our four footed friends a canine approved playlist with the view to extending this research to other species in the charity's care," they wrote on their website.

This study was published in the journal Physiology and Behavior.