Through A Dog's Ear - cd

[Lora]

I know Pam mentioned this cd in a post a while ago and I cant find the info when I do a search so I thought I'd start its own thread.

They have a website www.throughadogsear.com and Vol. 1 can be found on itunes.

I downloaded it from itunes the other day for a friend who has a greyhound that has SEVERE thunderstorm phobia. We weren't able to play it very loud, but it seemed to make a difference for him. I was skeptical that a cd would actually work but it really seems to. Im going to try it with fireworks for my boys and actually put it on my ipod so I can play it in the house on continual while Im gone. Anyone else have any success with it?

Which version do you have? And do any of them seem to work better than the others?

[ALDOGMOM]

I have the one from itunes.
I have started playing it when everyone goes to bed (and lately that has included my husband)...LOL.

I didn't want Bogey to only associate it with storms so I make it part of our going to bed ritual. I turn the music on and then they get their night-night cookies.

I do think it makes a difference. I have recommended it to several of my friends and they are all using it with some success.

I'm a believer and for the price it can't hurt to try it.

[Lora]

Ditto on the "for that price it cant hurt to try it"

Its actually quite pleasing to listen to if you like classical music.

[Itsapyr]

I have volume 1 and 2 and both dogs go right to sleep

[sam.i.am]

We have volume 1 (i'm going to get the 2nd and 3rd volumes).
I use it regularly as part of a normal relaxing routine, too.
Milton enjoys it a lot. Delilah doesn't usually sleep near where it is playing, but I don't think she dislikes it.

[Itsapyr]

There's a volume 3?

[sam.i.am]

yeah, it's this: http://throughadogsear.com/music_to_calm_cd3.htm

[Itsapyr]

Just ordered CD 3

[rudyandjjs_mom]

I think i'll have to get his for Rudy and JJ... JJ especially....

[SapheraGirl]

I don't have either but I can't wait to get home and order it. Ill keep you posted

[kasmith]

I downloaded Voume 1 from iTunes and put it on Abby's iPod (I ended up with a duplicate refurbished iPod from Circuit City barely before they went belly up). She really digs the music, and sometimes I find myself listening to it at work during stressful days. Most recently I decided to purchase all 5 CDs. At first I was going to buy just the volumes I didn't have, but with shipping and handling it was actually about the same to get all 5 CDs bundled together.

As others have mentioned, it can't hurt, and it is certainly cheaper than DAP, thundershirts, etc (each of which are effective on their own). Abby had SEVERE anxiety about her crate and about me leaving when we got her. I truly think she was abandoned in a garage during a foreclosure, but that's just me. Leaving her out on her own wasn't an option - she chewed the wooden door frame and chewed up a HUGE section of the wall to wall carpet in the condo we rent. Crating was our only option, but unfortunately she was so panicked about the crate that no matter what I did to make that crate positive it was hugely negated by the fact she went in it during the day. So we tried a wide variety of things to help her, and it was largely based off of the relaxation protocols from Dog Scouts. I would make sure to play this music lightly while working on her relaxation protocols. In combination with everything we did for her this was hugely helpful.

Inevitably I would also play this on loop while I'm gone so that she has something to listen to and focus on while she's alone. One thing I would tell you is that when I was trying to find music for Abby, I made the mistake of downloading "Music Dogs Love: While You are Gone." It's not that it doesn't work, but it didn't work for Abby. Although there was soothing music on the CD, there were also other sounds mixed in (barking, children playing, etc.) that she would bark at these things. "Through a Dog's Ear" was hugely different for her and made a great impression on her.

[ALDOGMOM]

I think it is the tempo of the music. I am familiar with some of these classical pieces and they are slower on the CD than on other recordings I have heard.

[Itsapyr]

I thought they we a little lower too. Try saying something to your dog in a regular voice and then try it again in a deeper voice. Jasper comes up and looks in my mouth LOL

[Lora]

I burned a cd for the friend with the thunderstorm phobic greyhound and took it over to her tonight and got to see it in action. O M G It actually worked! Im in utter shock. I cant believe it actually worked. On friday I was there and she had given him two valium and he was a drooling, panting, shaking, pacing, wild-eyed, running into things, crazy wreck. Tonight she didnt get home in time to give him the valium and he was in full on panic craze mode by the time I got there. We started up the cd and about 5-10 minutes into he started to calm down and went and laid under the desk. He was still panting but was calming down. Another 5 minutes in and he stopped panting and laid the rest of the way down... like head on the ground and on his side. It was still storming, raining in torrents and thunder/lightning. At one point there was a thunder that was so intense the house actually shook. He lifted his head up, looked around, panted for about 3 minutes and put his head back down. My friend sat there absolutely dumbfounded, jaw open and in tears. He made it through one of the more intense storms of the season sans drugs and in a basically calm manner. I am an absolute believer now.

[sam.i.am]

man, that is awesome, Lora! Amazing!
I would have loved to hear of this for my Daisy. She shook during storms and all I could do was cuddle her or build her a fort underneath a blanket so she couldn't see the windows. That is a heartbreaking position to be in, so I am soooo happy to hear of a major success like that.

I wonder if I could take it outside -- which is where Delilah is nervous since July 4 weekend...

[Lora]

I dont see why you couldnt put it on a stereo outside Sam.

[ALDOGMOM]

Lora - your friend should try the thundershirt as well if she can swing it.

We had a rather mild storm yesterday (thunder - no rain WTF) and I put Bogey's shirt on him and turned the music on and he was asleep in no time. I believe that the conditioning I have been doing with him (i.e. putting the shirt on him when there is no thunder, using the CD at bedtime, etc.) have all really helped him and have helped me to nip this issue in the bud before it became a full blown phobia. He is certainly less anxious than he was.

[Itsapyr]

I play the CD's at least once everyday. It actually makes them go to sleep while I am working. Now I need about 8 hours worth of them.

[Lora]

Lora - your friend should try the thundershirt as well if she can swing it.

She has one and a thunder cape that has metal woven into it to try and ground out any loose static electricity in the air. She's tried everything from dap to a $300/hour behaviorist. Although I saw incredible results I'm wondering if they will repeat or it was a one off. Bit what I did see was remarkable.

I read it the testimonies and one even claimed it helped stave off seizures. Interesting.

[Lora]

This is one of the testimonials on the site -

One of our five Labs has a seizure disorder. She was showing signs of mild agitation this morning. After Music to Calm your Canine had been playing for about 10 minutes, I checked on the furkids. Our seizure-girl was sleeping peacefully on her favorite chair. Thank you, Lisa. Your music is magic.
— D. Bogetti, Richmond, VA

It makes me think... wondering if it would have an impact on lick fits or actual seizures. It makes sense that it would for the lick fits.