New Spotify playlist released to help soothe dogs’ travel anxiety – look at what makes the top twenty tunes

New research from Škoda has revealed that six in 10 dogs become anxious when travelling in the car.

The car manufacturer, as part of their sponsorship of Crufts 2023,  has teamed up with Dog Behaviourist and Nutritionist Anna Webb, to create a specialist Spotify playlist called Happy Hounds.

The music tracks included on the list have been scientifically proven to soothe dogs' travel anxiety.

Dogs can become anxious in cars for many reasons including the space being unfamiliar, hearing unusual sounds from the road and weather, the temperature being too warm in the car, previous bad experiences, and motion sickness.

Details have also emerged that 75% of dog-owning drivers have been distracted on streets, lanes, and motorways by the behaviour of their anxious dog.

Škoda’s research, carried out among 1,000 dog owners, revealed 60% feel they must limit where they go on days out due to their dog becoming distressed in the car.

Anna Webb’s tips include ensuring your dog is comfortable in their harness before entering the car, starting with the music volume low at first and keeping the car under 20 degrees Celsius.

Pop icon Harry Styles can give himself a round of a-paws after his smash hit Watermelon Sugar made it onto the Spotify playlist. Styles is in good company, as his hit track is joined by songs from both SZA and Rihanna, amongst other music icons. Bob Marley and the Wailers and Adele also feature on the playlist, which launched on 8 March 2023.

Webb advises that the beats per minute of a song is key to keeping dogs calm on long journeys. She comments: “Emulating the heartbeat is thought by science to offer a calming effect. Small dogs and puppies normally have heart rates of 120 to 160 beats per minute. These songs work as they are not heavy metal or similar genres which are known to disturb sleep patterns in dogs.”

“I included some reggae songs on the upper end of the BPM as it’s proven dogs like reggae, so these will work well for smaller dogs as their heartbeat is faster than bigger dogs.”

Škoda spoke to members of the public who struggle with the above problems to ask about their experiences with the playlist and how their dogs reacted to it…with positive results:

Carina, 38, a Researcher from Staffordshire, said: “All in all, I was really surprised at how effective it was. I was a little sceptical at first as to how much effect it could have, as the songs seemed so random! But I was happily proved wrong.

“I would do anything to make journeys easier and more comfortable for [my Cavachon] Monty. This was a simple change to make, and it made Monty's experience in the car much more enjoyable.”

Thelma, 52, a School Administrator from Barnet, said: “When we got to Cayendo by Frank Ocean, Theo [a German Splitz Klein] was really relaxed, sitting down and even closed his eyes! By the time we got to Starman at the end of playlist he was curled up in his chair! I really enjoyed the playlist myself and will be listening in the future!”

“It’s worth acclimatising your dog to the playlist before you get into the car,” added Webb, “so the dog makes positive associations with these songs before moving them into the car. These songs therefore will offer a ‘memory’ that all is okay in situations like weather conditions making the car suddenly a bit scarier, or suddenly sensing the movement of a larger vehicle overtaking you.