From Wham’s Last Christmas to Jingle Bells, humans are not the only species to enjoy festive songs.
A survey of 1,000 dog owners by the charity Guide Dogs found Wham’s classic was the most beloved by canines, with 10% of the votes, followed by Jingle Bells (9%) and All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey (6%).
Those who took part in the survey said their animals liked upbeat tracks, rather than quieter, slower or instrumental ones. Additionally, 90% of dogs like music, and it can have a differing affect on them, ranging from making them energetic (23%) to helping them get to sleep (11%). A quarter of dog owners claimed that music was helpful to keep their dog calm or comfortable.
Dr Helen Whiteside, the chief scientific officer at Guide Dogs UK, said: “As we look forward to spending the festive period with friends and loved ones, this Christmas will be a step-change for an entire generation of new dogs born during lockdown.
“Houses are likely to be busier than normal and many dogs’ routines will change. Music is often used to calm dogs in times of change and stress, so it is unsurprising that it will play a key role for dogs this Christmas.”
She added that the poll also showed that music can bring out fun moments for dog and owner to share. Other favoured tunes were Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé and A Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney.
The growth in dog ownership has been noted in the last few years as people bought puppies during the pandemic. Figures from March revealed that more than 3.2 million pets were bought by UK households during lockdown.
However, since Covid restrictions were lifted it has been reported that some owners have started to return to the office and are abandoning their pets as they no longer have as much time for them.
Many of these pets were bought online, charities say, and their true origins and medical issues were not disclosed. They often have a higher incidence of behavioural and health problems and are thus more difficult to rehome. Animal rescue charities and shelters have warned that people often pretend that dogs they acquired during lockdown are strays in order to get rid of them.