White noise, music or silence: what's best for dogs?

The honest answer is that nobody knows for sure, because white noise has barely been studied in dogs. In the one controlled test we found, white noise made no measurable difference to how kennelled dogs behaved. Calm classical music has more evidence behind it, and even that effect is modest. Where noise may earn its place is in masking sudden sounds from outside, which is why veterinary guidance lists it for noise-sensitive dogs.

Here's what the research says about each option, and how to choose.

White, pink and brown noise: what's the difference?

• White noise spreads its energy evenly across all frequencies. It sounds like a hiss, or a radio between stations.
• Pink noise turns the high frequencies down. It sounds softer, like steady rain.
• Brown noise turns them down further, leaving mostly a low roar, like a strong shower or a waterfall.
• "Sound machines" usually offer these plus nature sounds such as waves, rain or a fan.

None of these has been shown to calm dogs. Pink and brown noise haven't been tested in dogs at all, as far as we could find.

What the research found on white noise

In a study at an Australian university kennel, 10 dogs heard six kinds of sound over 10 days: piano music shifted up or down in pitch, sped up or slowed down, a white noise track, and no added sound. Each played for 10 minutes a day.

White noise had no significant effect on the dogs' behaviour. The clearest result came from music: tracks shifted to a lower pitch made the dogs more alert.¹

That's a small study, with short sessions, in kennels rather than homes. It doesn't prove white noise is useless. It does mean that claims about white noise calming dogs go further than the evidence.

The low-pitch result is worth a footnote. It was about music, not noise, so it tells us nothing certain about brown noise. But it's a reminder that "deeper" doesn't automatically mean "calmer" for a dog.

Where noise may still help: masking outside sounds

Masking is the more plausible use. A steady sound raises the background level, so a car door, a delivery or a neighbour's dog stands out less.

The Merck Veterinary Manual lists white noise, along with soundproofing, ear covers and noise-cancelling headphones, among the things that might benefit a dog with a noise phobia. It pairs them with a safe place to retreat to, set up and made pleasant long before a storm or fireworks night.

A 2023 review for vets adds a detail from research on human hearing: masking works best when the masking sound resembles the noise you want to hide. So a fan, or repetitive drum beats, may suit thunder or fireworks better than a gentle hiss.²

Both are expert guidance rather than trial results, and Merck is clear that for thunder and fireworks, managing the sound seldom solves the fear on its own. Noise matters for plenty of dogs: in a survey of 13,715 dogs in Finland, noise sensitivity was the most common anxiety trait, at 32%.³

Outside noise can also look like separation trouble. Merck notes that barking or restlessness when a dog is alone can come from sounds outside rather than from missing you, and that fear of noise and separation distress often go together. If your dog reacts to the street when you're out, masking is a reasonable thing to try, alongside filming a few absences to see what sets them off.

One caution from the fireworks research. In a survey of more than 1,200 owners, management steps such as a hiding place, closed blinds and playing music were not linked to dogs' fear improving over time. Training that pairs the noise with good things was.⁴

We cover that training in our guide to thunderstorms and dogs.

What the research found on music

Music has been studied far more than noise. When pet dogs were left without their owners, those that heard classical music lay down and settled a little sooner than dogs with silence or an audiobook. The researchers called the effect moderate, and said sound seems to be of little value when a dog is under short, sharp stress.⁵

In shelters, a review of nine studies found classical music appears calming in stressful settings, with no extra benefit from music designed for dogs.⁶

For which genres were tested and what each did, see do dogs like music? For the full body of research, see what the research on calming music for dogs found.

What about an audiobook, or silence?

In one rehoming centre, dogs rested more with an audiobook than with classical, pop or dog-designed music.⁷

But with pet dogs left alone, the audiobook showed no apparent benefit (Kinnaird & Wells, above). We compare voices, radio and TV in should you leave music or the TV on for your dog?

Silence is the baseline in every study, and for many dogs a quiet house is fine. One detail: in a five-genre kennel study, dogs barked more once the music stopped. If you use sound, a sudden cut to silence may not be the calm moment it seems.⁸

Noise, music or silence: a quick comparison

How to choose for your dog

1. Start with what's bothering your dog. If it's the street, the neighbours or storms, masking noise or a quieter room makes sense. If it's being alone, sound won't fix it. See how long can a dog be left alone? and talk to your vet.
2. Let your dog move away from it. Put a machine across the room, not beside the bed. More on dogs' hearing in can loud music hurt your dog's ears?
3. Keep it steady. Avoid tracks with sudden changes, ad-supported streams, or anything that cuts off abruptly.
4. Use it at calm times too. A sound that plays every day, not just before bad nights, is less likely to become a warning signal.
5. Watch your dog. If they leave the room, pace or seem more alert, turn it off. Every dog is different.
6. For noise fear, add training. Sound is management. Pairing the scary noise with good things is what the research links to improvement.

Room machine or collar speaker?

They do different jobs. A white noise machine fills one room with steady sound, which suits masking the window side of a house. The Barkwoo Music Box plays calm music from your dog's collar, so the music goes wherever they nap, into the car or to a friend's house. It plays hours of preloaded music at one button press, with no phone, WiFi or app, and runs for almost a full day on one charge. You can also add your own MP3s over USB.

You can listen to the calming playlist or the home-alone playlist first. The music studies used room speakers, not our device, so we don't claim more for it than they found.

Quick answers

Is white noise good for dogs? It hasn't been shown to calm dogs. In one small kennel study, white noise made no measurable difference. It may help mask sudden outside sounds, and veterinary guidance lists it for noise-sensitive dogs.

Is brown noise or pink noise better for dogs? Neither has been studied in dogs. They sound softer to people, but there's no evidence either calms dogs.

Is music or white noise better for dogs? Calm classical music has more evidence: modest effects on resting and settling. White noise is the more natural choice for masking outside noise.

Should I leave a sound machine on for my dog at night? If outside noise wakes your dog, a steady sound is reasonable to try. If your dog sleeps well in silence, there's no evidence it adds anything.

Does white noise help with fireworks or thunder? It may soften the sound, and Merck lists it for noise phobia. A sound closer to the noise, like a fan or drum beats, may mask it better. But managing the sound seldom solves the fear on its own. Start training weeks before.

References

1. Amaya, V., Descovich, K., Paterson, M.B.A. & Phillips, C.J.C. (2021). Effects of music pitch and tempo on the behaviour of kennelled dogs. Animals, 11(1), 10. doi:10.3390/ani11010010 ↩︎
2. Riemer, S. (2023). Therapy and prevention of noise fears in dogs: a review of the current evidence for practitioners. Animals, 13(23), 3664. doi:10.3390/ani13233664 ↩︎
3. Salonen, M., Sulkama, S., Mikkola, S., et al. (2020). Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs. Scientific Reports, 10, 2962. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-59837-z ↩︎
4. Riemer, S. (2020). Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 37, 61–70. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2020.04.005 ↩︎
5. Kinnaird, R.F. & Wells, D.L. (2022). The effect of auditory stimulation on pet dogs' reactions to owner separation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 254, 105688. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105688 ↩︎
6. Lindig, A.M., McGreevy, P.D. & Crean, A.J. (2020). Musical dogs: a review of the influence of auditory enrichment on canine health and behavior. Animals, 10(1), 127. doi:10.3390/ani10010127 ↩︎
7. Brayley, C. & Montrose, V.T. (2016). The effects of audiobooks on the behaviour of dogs at a rehoming kennels. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 174, 111–115. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2015.11.008 ↩︎
8. Bowman, A., Dowell, F.J. & Evans, N.P. (2017). The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs. Physiology & Behavior, 171, 207–215. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.01.024 ↩︎
9. Borns-Weil, S. (2025). Behavior problems of dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual. merckvetmanual.com