Janet Marlow’s pet sounds

Janet Marlow’s pet sounds

Janet Marlow recording Pet Acoustics.

Alan Brennan

Does your pet suffer from anxiety and stress? Musician, pet owner, and animal lover Janet Marlow may have sound solutions. With a background in classical music and a profound interest in the auditory world of animals, Marlow has dedicated her career to understanding how sound impacts emotional and physiological states in pets.

“I’ve always been deeply connected to music. It’s in my DNA as a fifth-generation musician. But it wasn’t until 1994, after moving from New York City to Connecticut, that I discovered how music could impact animals.” Marlow said, “I decided to live in Litchfield County because of the extraordinary beauty of nature that inspired so many compositions.” It was when Marlow adopted a black-and-white cat named Osborn that something remarkable happened. “Every time I played the guitar, Osborn would come to my side and relax. It was clear that the music was affecting him, and this sparked my curiosity,” she said. This sparked Marlow to start investigating how animals perceive sound and whether music could be used to improve their well-being.

Driven by these questions, Marlow began extensive research into animal hearing and their responses to sound. For three years, she immersed herself in veterinary medical literature and consulted with experts in animal hearing. By 1997, she had formulated the concept of species-specific music and learned that animals have different hearing ranges. Marlow then designed Pet Acoustics, music created specifically within the comfort ranges of dogs, cats, horses, and birds to promote calm and balanced behavior.

“The results were astonishing. I observed that by eliminating alert-triggering frequencies, animals became noticeably calmer,” Marlow said.

Marlow founded Pet Acoustics in 2009, which has since grown into a global leader in pet wellness for dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits and small animals. They have developed a range of products, including music compositions and speakers designed for pets. Today, Pet Acoustics has co-branding partnerships with Nestlé, Purina, Friskies, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Nationwide Pet Insurance.

“One of the biggest hurdles was convincing people that music could truly influence their pets’ well-being. Educating pet owners about the benefits of species-specific music took time and persistence. But through continuous research, product development, and dedication, we’ve built trust and established Pet Acoustics as a trailblazer in the field,” Marlow said.

Pet Acoustics offers a range of scientifically designed products aimed at enhancing pet wellness through sound. These include Bluetooth-enabled speakers, portable music devices, and species-specific soundtracks tailored to reduce stress and promote relaxation in dogs, cats, horses, and birds. Each product is developed using bioacoustic research to ensure compatibility with the unique auditory sensitivities of different animals.

Additionally, Pet Acoustics provides a specialized free pet hearing test, designed to assess an animal’s auditory range and responsiveness. This test ensures that soundscapes are optimally suited to each pet’s hearing profile, offering an effective and personalized approach to auditory wellness.

For more information, visit www.petacoustics.com

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less