Social media platforms are awash with videos of dogs seemingly harmonizing with music, a phenomenon that raises a curious question: can these canines exhibit genuine musicality?
This query has been the focus of an intriguing investigation by psychologist Aniruddh Patel and his colleagues at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Their recent study suggests that some dogs can indeed perceive pitch and adjust their vocalizations accordingly, akin to a canine choir.
The Wolf’s Howl as Inspiration
The researchers’ interest was sparked by observations of wolves howling in packs. Patel notes that “howling shares certain characteristics with human singing, such as being long, sustained vocalizations.” Field observations indicate that individual wolves attempt to produce distinct tones when howling together. This collective effort can create the impression of a larger group, a tactic that might serve to deter potential predators.
“Some wolf biologists have theorized,” Patel explains, “that they actually pay attention and alter their pitch.” However, he acknowledges the significant challenge in experimentally verifying this hypothesis. This difficulty led Patel and his team to turn their attention to domestic dogs.
An Experimental Approach
To explore this, the researchers enlisted dog owners to record their pets’ vocal responses to their favorite tunes. The dogs were exposed to the music in its original key, as well as in versions transposed three semitones higher and three semitones lower. The aim was to observe how the dogs reacted to these shifts in pitch.
The study concentrated on two ancient breeds, the Samoyed and the Shiba Inu, which are believed to share a closer genetic link to wolves than more modern dog varieties. To ensure the robustness of their data, each dog was required to produce a minimum of 30 howls, each lasting at least one second, for every transposed musical version.
Results and Individual Differences
Among the four Samoyeds studied, all displayed a degree of sensitivity to the music’s pitch. They consistently modified their vocalizations in response to the new key, though their efforts did not precisely match the exact pitch.
“They are attempting to establish some connection with what they are hearing through their own vocalizations; they are not merely reacting with an instinctive, unchangeable response,” Patel stated. A video showing Luna, one of the participating dogs, performing “Shallow” alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, illustrates this point.
In contrast, the two Shiba Inus in the study appeared to be unresponsive to pitch variations. Patel hypothesizes that “there might be genetic variations within ancient breeds, making some more inclined to howl.” He concedes, however, that a larger sample size might have yielded different results.
Implications for Human Music Origins
The findings could offer insights into the evolutionary origins of human music. While some theories propose that singing evolved from the fine motor control associated with speech, enabling complex sound mimicry, the fact that dogs can modulate pitch without this level of vocal learning suggests that language may not have been an essential prerequisite.
“It is conceivable that our capacity and inclination to synchronize pitch with others while singing have very deep evolutionary roots, and may not simply be a byproduct of our ability to imitate complex sounds,” Patel observed.
The Drive to Join In
The underlying reasons for dogs’ compulsion to vocalize along with music remain an area for further exploration. “Based on the videos we observed,” Patel noted, “the dogs seemed genuinely engaged with the music.” He observed that they did not merely look to their owners for rewards but gazed intently into the distance.
“Therefore, I believe the music acts as a kind of surrogate howl-like signal for them, prompting a social response that makes them want to join in.”
Expert Commentary and Future Directions
Buddhamas Pralle Kriengwatana, who co-authored a review on musical appreciation in non-human animals at KU Leuven in Belgium, expressed interest in the study’s findings. She also suggested the value of more diverse samples, stating, “It would have been beneficial for them to include a comparison of ancient versus modern breeds.”
Regarding the dogs’ somewhat unharmonious performances, Kriengwatana proposed various potential explanations for their failure to perfectly match the original pitch. “It’s unknown,” she mused, “perhaps they desire their own voices to be heard, and to experience themselves singing.”