Healing with Harmony: Music Therapy for Rescued German Shepherds

German Shepherds can be prone to anxiety, which may manifest as excessive barking, destructive behavior, or withdrawal. Common triggers include changes in routine, lack of socialization, or past trauma. We see these issues manifest often especially among German Shepherd rescues.

Emotional recovery is incredibly important when dealing with German Shepherds and Shepherd mixes that have past traumas. In the realm of canine care, discovering innovative ways to nurture the well-being of rescued German Shepherds is crucial.

If you’ve ever had a dog companion, especially a German Shepherd dog, then you know their incredible emotional intelligence and because of this they rely much more than other animals for acceptance and approval from humans. If not familiar with the breed you may view them as stoic, sometimes aloof, serious, and inherently aggressive, among other stereotypes that have plagued the breed for decades. To dispell the myth and stereotypes someone unfamiliar with the breed must understand the unique challenges that face the German Shepherd dog. They wear their hearts on their paws and issues with dumping, abandonment, and shelter life are exceptionally hard for this breed, so we need to look for new ways to supplement the traditional ways to help foster rehabilitation.

Shelter life and a sense of abandonment is stressful for most animals, but this is especially true for Germans Shepherds. Shelter life can be particularly challenging for this breed due to their sensitive and loyal nature. These dogs often form strong bonds with their owners, and a sudden change in environment, separation from familiar surroundings, and lack of consistent human interaction in a shelter can lead to stress and anxiety. Additionally, the noise and confined spaces in shelters may exacerbate these challenges for German Shepherds, making the transition to a new home more difficult. Sadly, many times this leads to a dog’s return to the shelter causing even more trauma.

So how can we help bring life back into German Shepherd rescues? One such avenue that has been gaining traction is music therapy through bioacoustics. This holistic approach harnesses the power of melodies and rhythms to bring about a harmonious healing experience for these remarkable dogs.

Think about what music does for the human brain. What happens to you when you hear a song or a melody that evokes happiness? Sometime I think we often simplify our dog’s brain and fail to consider that trauma is also very real for them and in some ways it can be much worse because they can become trapped in the trauma if we do not help foster recovery and repair the damage done by others.

In this blog, we will focus on the holistic approach to therapy through bioacoustics that will help not only your rescue pup, but you as well.

Bioacoustics

Bioacoustics involves using sounds that targets a dog’s auditory range and preferences. It considers canine-specific frequencies and rhythms, aiming to positively influence their behavior and well-being. This approach utilizes the consideration of beats per minute (bpm), natural sounds and even specially composed music to create a calming and stress-relieving atmosphere, potentially aiding in anxiety reduction and promoting a sense of security for dogs, which is important with German Shepherds rescues. This sort of therapy can also aid in keeping dogs calm while going through heart worm treatment.

Dog’s can generally hear double the frequencies from double the distance than their human companions. So doesn’t it make sense to use therapeutic sound to influence a dog’s behavior and alleviate anxiety and stress?

The Therapeutic Impact of Music

Research has shown that music can have an incredible impact on the emotional and physiological well-being of animals, especially our loyal and sometimes velcro prone German Shepherd companions. Music therapy taps into their sensory, specifically auditory, perceptivity, offering a therapeutic experience that extends beyond the conventional areas of care.

The impact can prove to be long term if done consistently. Just like behavioral training with a professional trainer, which is an incredibly important form of therapy to assist with transitioning from shelter to home life, music therapy can provide emotional and physiological support as well.

Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Many rescued German Shepherds come from problematic and traumatizing backgrounds. These backgrounds make transitioning to a new environment stressful and anxiety provoking, which cannot be ignored. Music therapy has been found to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety for our precious pooches. Calming melodies and soothing rhythms can create a serene atmosphere, helping these dogs feel more secure and at ease in their new surroundings by lowering heart rates and stimulating the parts of the brain that allows for the canine zen mode.

I became very interested in learning about the effects of music for dogs a few years ago when I started volunteering as a rescue transport for various local rescues. My furry passengers ranged from puppies to seniors, and even pups with special needs from blindness to limb deformities. I still transport pups to fosters and furever homes and it’s one of my greatest pleasures.

I am sure it is of no surprise that my passengers are usually anxious and stressed so they may become destructive by chewing through tethers and leashes, they cry and whimper. I was no stranger to incessant barking, pee, poop, throw up, and attempt to jump into the front seat while on the interstate. I always keep supplies like towels and other clean-up items because you never know what kind of pup you’re really going to get.

Lets be real, how would you feel if you were severely mistreated. Likely just broke out of a chaotic shelter, and now with all of these new humans, when humans haven’t treated you the best. You’ve been placed into moving contraption that looks confined, which could be a new concept or even a traumatizing one. You have no clue what’s going on or where you’re going. It’s incredibly heartbreaking to watch a terrified pup because all you want to do is comfort them, but how? Well when I began transporting, I would try talking in a low soothing voice hoping to provide some calmness. Although this may have helped for a minute, it was not a long term solution.

One Saturday evening, during a hand off a few years ago, I met up with with a familiar transporter that I had met on several other missions. As we do, she was giving me the run down about her leg of travel and the leg before her. The pup was a senior lady and visibly terrified. The day before the transport, she was rescued from a kill shelter in Texas, and was just hours from being euthanized when she was finally claimed by a rescue that found a family willing to foster. The sad tale, as we hear many times, she was dumped in the middle of the night by tying her leash to the front door of a shelter waiting for the staff to arrive the next morning. So, saying she was terrified is likely the understatement of the year.

In the days before a transport is to commence, the coordinating team with the rescue provides whatever they know whether the information comes from the shelter or foster we get a general run down, but still a good idea what to anticipate behaviorally. In my experience, the coordinators provide pretty accurate information so I was prepared. Transporters, during hand offs, often share warnings from previous legs of travel that a mess could ensue due to the stress, and in this case the pup was pretty old, she was estimated to be around 13-14 years old. The information I received was that she relieved herself in the last transport vehicle and cried the whole time; however, my hand off transporter explained that she had the pup sound asleep during her leg of travel. Amazed, I asked how she managed that. Her response was surprising…..Christmas music. Yes, Christmas music.

She explained that Christmas music was always her go to when she needed to calm an anxious and stressed transport. She couldn’t explain why it helped, but she said it had been her go to because it always put these pups right to sleep. I am not one to ignore good advice, so I got the senior lady buckled up with a tether, and before pulling off I went to a streaming app and found a compilation of vintage Christmas music. Mind you, it was July, but hey if that’s what it take then I’m game.

We pulled off, she was whimpering a little, but 5 minutes later she was out like a light. I couldn’t believe it. I thought, maybe this was just an exhausted pup. She had a stressful day and it was dark outside, but I continued to play Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole.

An hour later we arrived at the next hand off. I am also not one to hold onto good information from a fellow transporter, so I share about the music and how the old lady soundly slept on our travels. Well, she was a little dismissive, but hey, you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink. Let’s just say, she shared her leg of travel experience on a group chat that included all of the transporters from Texas to Virginia, coordinators and the new foster family. Well her hour ride with the pup ended with a rather large bill to detail her car because the pup was very stressed and released that stress in the car.

After that, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence that the music provided something therapeutic and I had to know more about the “why”….

Enhancing Rehabilitation for Rescues

Rescued German Shepherds recovering from trauma and/or neglect, music therapy becomes an integral part of their rehabilitation journey. The rhythmic patterns and gentle tunes provide a comforting backdrop by not only stimulating them mentally, but it’s also neutralized background irritants like cars, weather, and the ever so annoying firework holidays. This allows our companions to undergo physical and emotional healing. This holistic approach compliments traditional rehabilitation methods, contributing to a more comprehensive and well rounded recovery process.

Therapy is not one sided. It’s also not a one size fits all. Now, if you’re familiar with our magnificent and intelligent German Shepherd breed, then you know they are stubborn, they will test you until you establish dominance, and if suffering with trauma all this is amplified. So thinking that you, as the new pack leader, can alone change behavioral trauma is where I say “Good Luck!” You need to appeal to their mental and physical needs through professional training and bonding. So traditional and holistic therapy just adds another layer of recovery in the form of bonding and mental stimulation to a German Shepherd and it is going to make for a happy pup, pack leader, and your furniture and other chewable items will likely thank you later.

Stimulating Mental Engagement

I probably sound like a a broken records, but again, German Shepherds are renowned for their intelligence, and music therapy offers a unique way to engage their minds. If you read our the last blog discussing common myths and stereotypes of our beloved breed, then you know that mental engagement is like a massage of the mind for this breed. Specially curated playlists, featuring a variety of canine appealing sounds and tempos, can provide mental stimulation, particularly for dogs in and from a shelter environment.

Think about working breeds in general. They tend to be a bit on the neurotic side, constantly looking for a job. Yes, working breeds like to work. You need to stimulate and exhaust their minds. The German Shepherd is no exception, in fact, not only are looking for a job, but they are like that annoying co-worker always looking for extra work to please the boss and receive praise. This is the unique nature of the German Shepherd. They need to be mentally stimulated (which is the work part) and they need you to praise them. This does not mean idolize them (although if you are a GSD person then you already do idolize them), rather it’s a simple acknowledgment that they indeed did a good job. If these two things do not exist, stimulation and praise….well I wish your shoe collection a fond farewell. So if you are short on time, and cannot commit to a 30 minute game of fetch or more than a 5 minute walk, or maybe your pup is getting on the older side of life, music therapy is amazing way to supplement that mental stimulation.

Before I knew anything about music therapy, my pup at the time, who suffered from separation anxiety, which caused cluster seizures, and this would happen when I left for work each day. He knew my routine, and at least three times per work week he would have cluster seizures when it was that time for me to head out the door. It was just as anxiety ridden for me because I had to go to work, but I couldn’t just leave him to deal with the seizures alone. So I was late for work every day he would have episodes. This may make some folks upset, but once the clusters diminished he would still be disoriented state so I could leave without him really knowing I was leaving; however, once he did notice he would become destructive throughout the day by shredding couch cushions, blankets, gnawing on anything made of wood, shoes would be used as chew toys, and he would pull up my carpeting slowly but surely.

I was so grateful to find out and learn about bioacoustics and the benefits of music therapy not only for my transport pups, but also for my own pup. Before leaving for work I would find music/videos specifically curated for dogs with separation anxiety issues that I would stream for the amount of time I would be away from the house. The music/videos usually consisted of nature sounds combined with slow tranquil music, and this helped to cease the anxiety and subsequently relieved him of regular seizures. Playing this each day was a form of consistent therapy which changed him both emotionally and psychologically. When I left for work he would remain calmly on the couch. I would check on him throughout the day on the cameras I placed in various spots in my house where I would find him sleeping or calming relaxed on the couch or floor. When I arrived home after work he would greet me with more of a pep in his step. He was also more sociable with other dogs and new human introductions, and he wouldn’t incessantly chew on his skin causing hot spots. He also went from several seizures a week to a seizure maybe once every 4-6 months. The only variable that changed for him was the consistent music therapy. His diet and exercise remained the same and no medications were eliminated or introduced.

Tailoring Music for Individual Needs

Just as every German Shepherd has a unique personality, their preferences for music can also vary. Rescue organizations can tailor music therapy sessions by having their fosters work with their foster pup and observe the dogs’ responses to different genres and rhythms. This personalized approach ensures that each dog receives a tailored and enjoyable musical experience. Yes, this requires a bit of time, but as a foster you are there to not only provide a roof and food, but also nurture rehabilitation emotionally and behaviorally.

I began creating playlists specifically for dog rescue transports approximately 3 years ago after the old lady pup and Christmas music discovery. My playlist consists of a mix of Brazilian Jazz by Bebel Gilberto, Gymnopédies & Gnossiennes by Erik Satie, and of course, Christmas music, usually Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole. The playlist has never let me down even with the most rambunctious puppies. When I curated the playlist I was mindful of choosing songs with 53-55 beats per minute (easy to find with a simple internet search), which in my experience this level of bpms seems to be a sweet spot for pups and also songs at a moderately low pitch, which I will explain in a bit.

I expanded the creation of playlists for Firework holidays and also for pups going through heartworm treatment. These playlists include similar genres as the transport playlist, but I also include more classical piano, such as Beethoven’s Piano Concerto.

If you’re not one for creating playlists, now worries there are animal specific playlists already curated to help pups with issues like separation anxiety that can be found on YouTube and Spotify, and you can find a station or channel to stream for hours while away from home for longer periods of time.

Now, you must also consider not all genres provide positive therapeutic effects for our canine friends. Although the canine ears are masterful, they are also simple. So some genres can be problematic for their auditory senses.

Here is a list of good and not so good genres to consider (*Note: this list is not an end all be all. It’s simply for reference and provides examples):

Facilitating Human-Canine Bonding

Music therapy is an amazing tool serving as a bridge between humans and rescued German Shepherds. As stated earlier, German Shepherds are particularly sensitive to seeking approval and acceptance from their humans. Participating in music sessions together can strengthen the bond between humans and dogs. This shared experience fosters trust and creates positive associations, laying the foundation for a deeper connection.

While one of my German Shepherd rescues, Maxwell, went through a slow-kill heartworm treatment soon after adopting him, the treatment required him to be isolated from my other pup and also crated to contain activity levels. I was sad, because how do you bond with a pup when you are forcing him to be in a crate except for potty breaks. So to establish that bond I would lay next his crate while stroking his head and playing Native American Flute music. Really, I did. This gave us time for one on one bonding, it created a positive association as he was in terrible condition inside and out when I adopted him. This helped facilitate both of us getting to know one another.

Practical Implementation

Incorporating music therapy into the daily routine of rescued German Shepherds can be a simple yet impactful practice. Dedicated music sessions, whether played live or through carefully selected playlists, can become a soothing ritual that contributes to their overall well-being.

The amount of time you spend on music therapy with your precious pooch can vary depending on the specific needs of your dog and the goals you’re trying to achieve. Generally, 30 minutes to an hour each day can prove to be beneficial for relaxation and stress reduction. However, it’s important to observe your dog to find the right music and duration of time to adjust and fit their unique needs. Some pups may prefer reggae over classical and for shorter or longer periods of time. What’s important to take from this is that you need to learn about your dog or the dog you are caring for so they can get the most out of rehabilitative therapy.

End Goals: Living a Life of Human and Canine Harmony
As we strive to provide the best care for our rescued German Shepherds, exploring holistic approaches like music therapy adds a new dimension to their rehabilitation. The harmonious interplay of melodies and the innate sensitivity of these intelligent dogs creates a therapeutic synergy that transcends words. By embracing music therapy, rescue organizations can contribute to the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of these resilient animals, helping them find their rhythm in a world of newfound care and compassion.