While a dog might eat anything out of the garbage, they have a refined taste in music.
Gnash wanted to find this aural canine sweet spot, so he could write a song for his rescue dog Daisy. To help bring this project to life the “i hate u, i love u” singer-songwriter partnered with YouTube and Best Friends Animal Society’s No Kill Los Angeles Initiative.
The video above shows how gnash and his team figured out the science behind the sounds that make dogs calm and relaxed. Using what he learned about psychoacoustic therapy for animals, gnash produced “song for daisy,” a tune crafted to help alleviate his pup’s social anxiety. Daisy loved it.
But perhaps, even more important, the shelter dogs of Best Friends Animal Society’s NKLA Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles adored it too. The specially-crafted song had immediate effects on the rescue pooches, who can get easily wound up or anxious in the shelter environment. Just by clicking play, gnash was able to calm an entire room of rowdy shelter dogs.
“Watching an entire room full of dogs, and my own rescue dog Daisy react to this song was such a powerful experience,” said gnash. “It was incredible to be able to create music that transcends human emotion and has the ability to connect with these animals on a deeper level. I hope this video and song helps other rescue pet owners comfort their furry friends the same way it did mine.”
Along with making dogs happy in the moment, gnash hopes this tune helps these animals find happiness in the future as well. A calmer shelter dog, is more likely to show off their true personality and, in turn, have a better chance of finding a forever home.
“We want to ensure that dogs, when they are awaiting adoption, have as good an experience as they can. Our research indicates that dogs show more relaxed behaviour and have a significantly higher Heart Rate Variability (HRV) which is indicative of decreased stress, when a variety of genres of music is played in the shelter, the biggest effects being seen with soft rock and reggae and lesser effects when Motown, pop and classical music are played,” said Professor Neil Evans, Professor of Integrative Physiology at Glasgow’s Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine. “Most people looking to adopt from a shelter are seeking a dog that is relaxed and interacts positively and music can help them be less stressed and show their true personality.”
You can try the song for yourself on your own pup today. “Song for daisy” is now live on YouTube in celebration of Sunday’s Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. If you can’t adopt of a pet of your own right now, you can help the thousands of animals living in shelters by texting “ADOPT” to 50555 from your mobile device to instantly donate $10.00 to Best Friends Animal Society and support its goal to end the killing of shelter pets. Best Friends Animal Society is the only national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of animals in shelters across the country.
This beautiful and beneficial project is an example of the work YouTube commits to artist growth by connecting artists to their fans and their passions. This project, in particular, was designed to bring gnash’s passion and love for animals to life on YouTube through a compelling story, that fellow pet owners can interact with at home.