By CHEYANNE MUMPHREY

People use music to set moods, create a desired atmosphere and evoke memories of family and friends. The right song at the right time can have similar effects for some dogs.

Pet owners, trainers and animal shelter workers sometimes use music as a training tool, a distraction from triggers and to create a relaxing environment for dogs kept in kennels or left alone at home. But researchers say music is context-dependent, meaning the effects vary based on dogs’ temperament, the setting, the type of tune and the volume at which it’s played.

Social media videos of dogs howling to music, relaxing to the sounds of specialty playlists or TV channels while their owners are at work, appearing to clam down while boarded, and getting exposed to the same song to assist with crate training show some of the ways music is integrated into pets’ lives.

While some trainers consider music to be a helpful, many animal behaviorists, who study animal psychology and understand complex behaviors, suggest additional research is needed to prove how much of an effect music has on dogs and in what situations. Here is how experts suggest making music a potentially paw-sitive experience:

FILE – An Afghan hound sleeps with a plush toy during the world dog show in Salzburg, Austria, on Friday, May 18, 2012. More than 30.000 dogs are expected to take part at the exhibition in Salzburg. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson, File)

Music as a support strategy

Many factors cause dogs to experience stress and anxiety, and there are as many behavioral responses. Dog behavior specialists and veterinarians say separation anxiety, noise phobias and other fears are common sources of stress and can exacerbate negative behaviors like aggression, submissive peeing or barking, or medical conditions that may a professional diagnosis or medication.

“Music may promote more relaxation for dogs, but it would not be the first thing I turn to if I want to reduce stress in dogs,” said Seana Dowling-Guyer, a lecturer at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and associate director of a research program aimed at improving the lives of dogs in shelters or at risk of being given up by their owners.

Prior to her work at Tufts, Dowling-Guyer worked with shelter animals. The goal was to find them homes, but she noticed that dogs barking, jumping or getting excited in their enclosures sometimes “put off potential adopters.” The shelter staff tried to create a calmer environment playing music. Worker debates over the type of music to play is what led Dowling-Guyer to further research on the subject.

“I was interested in the practical application, not just for owners, but for veterinary offices, groomers or other situations where dogs were sometimes stressed or mildly uncomfortable,” she said, adding that music is not meant to be or should be considered a cure for anxious behaviors or conditions or be considered a replacement for more formalized training.

FILE – Dogs are seen at the New Leash On Life animal shelter, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Not all dogs like all music

High Country Humane, an animal shelter in Flagstaff, Arizona, plays classical and instrumental music on the kennel floors.

“It’s really stressful here, and the classical music seems to help calm the dogs down,” shelter manager Megan Boyer said. “Everybody is a little bit less amped up. It’s a stress reliever for the dogs.”

Dog music compilations typically include elements of the music that’s designed to help humans relax or sleep but takes into account biological differences in how dogs hear and process sound.

“Dog-calming music is simplified classical music. It’s slow, repetitive, has a predictable structure and gentle notes. In an unpredictable environment, any kind of predictability using sounds could be soothing to an animal,” said Aniruddh Patel, a Tufts University psychology professor who studies music cognition in humans and other species.

But not all dogs like classical music or exhibit the same behaviors when exposed to similar genres, experts say. Lori Kogan, a Colorado State University professor who studies human-animal interactions, says “dogs tend to habituate to what they are used to” as opposed to innately preferring some types of music over others.

Citing similar human curiosity about the musical preferences of cows, Kogan said, “I don’t think cows are born liking country music. What’s happened is that the people they interact with play country music, and the animals have come to associate that music with positive things.”

How to know if music will help your dog

Many pet owners leave a TV on or music playing when they go out to stimulate or distract their dogs while they’re gone, Dowling-Guyer said. She recommends switching up the playlist or programming so pets do not get bored or come to associate a negative event, like their owners leaving, with a specific song.

Tawny Keiser, a 46-year-old family practice manager in the San Diego area, says a dog television channel on YouTube has become a fun diversion for Margarita, her 10-year-old pug who suffers from separation anxiety.

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“She recognizes the television and will sit and watch it. She’s engaged, and often gets really excited and jumps off the couch to sniff the screen,” Keiser said, adding that Margarita also loves dog cartoons that feature background music.

Paying attention to how a family pet reacts when you turn on home speakers can provide useful information. It’s important to watch for signs of discomfort, like lip-licking or panting, to determine if a dog doesn’t like the sounds, Dowling-Guyer said.

Otherwise, there is no harm in playing music for a pet, experts said. Don’t be discouraged if your dog doesn’t seem to engage with it, Dowling-Guyer said.

She also wants dog owners to be wary of trainers who say music is a solution for behavior concerns, saying “that is usually a red flag.”

The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, a certifying board for specialist veterinarians, says pet owners may encounter services or advice that can inflict lasting physical and emotional damage on pets if certain training techniques are improperly applied. Experts suggest seeking trainers with the proper licensing, advanced degrees such as a doctor of veterinary medicine, or certification to address animal behavior, which can come from recognized organizations like the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists or the Animal Behavior Society.

Protein is having a moment, with federal guidelines significantly raising the recommended amount people should eat every day and products ranging from coffee drinks to Pop-Tarts touting enhanced levels of the nutrient.

Eating enough protein is important for good health, Denver-area dieticians said, but people who want to increase their intake need to make sure they choose quality foods and don’t crowd out healthy carbohydrates and fats.

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that, as of 2020, the average American already ate enough protein to meet the new recommendations.

The most recent edition of the federal nutrition guidelines, released in early January, raised the recommended floor for protein consumption, setting a range from 50% higher to double the previous recommendation.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also unveiled a flipped food pyramid, with beef and full-fat dairy among the foods to emphasize at the top. Federal recommendations had ditched the pyramid about 15 years ago for a model plate divided between produce, protein and whole grains.

The previous protein guideline was a bare minimum to avoid malnutrition, so raising that was probably the right call, said Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian nutritionist who works at HCA HealthOne Rose.

Generally, Crandall recommends 60 to 80 grams of protein each day for women and 80 to 100 grams for men. For comparison, a three-ounce serving of ground beef has 22 grams, a skinless chicken breast has 18 grams and 6 ounces of Greek yogurt has 15 to 17 grams, according to Washington University in St. Louis.

But the right amount for any individual will depend on their body weight, age, level of physical activity and health, with some conditions requiring more protein and others demanding restrictions, Crandall said.

The International Food Information Council’s 2024 Food and Health survey found about 71% of Americans were specifically trying to eat protein, up from 59% in 2022. About one in five said they specifically follow a “high protein” diet, making it more popular than calorie counting, low-carb or Mediterranean food plans.

People who work in nutrition have known about protein’s importance to the muscles and immune system for quite some time, but public perception of it has changed significantly in recent years, said Kelly Elliot, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Saint Joseph Hospital.

“It’s interesting how marketing sways the public and how the public sways marketing,” she said.

While protein shakes and bars have been staples among the gym-going set for some time, other food brands are getting in on the game.

Snickers and Pop Tarts unveiled higher-protein options, and Thomas’ bagels added a line about protein content to the front of the packaging for their existing products. Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts recently debuted drinks enhanced with whey protein, and Chipotle’s menu now promotes a “protein cup” of chicken and a chicken taco, designed to offer a similar mix of protein, fat and carbs to a protein bar, said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s interim chief marketing officer.

“We’ve seen growing demand for protein-forward choices across more occasions, especially snack-sized portions at accessible prices,” she said in a statement. “We’ll carry this focus throughout 2026, with our culinary team driving protein-led innovation informed by customer behavior and emerging trends across our restaurants and digital channels.”

As more people get the message that they need to increase their protein intake — despite the fact that most Americans already eat enough — food companies have responded by adding protein in unexpected places, including pretzels, chips and even bottled water, said William Hallman, a psychologist at Rutgers University who studies how people think about food.

Emphasizing protein creates a “health halo” around products that makes people think they’re a better option, even if the manufacturer had to increase sugar and fat to mask the taste of protein powder, he said.

“Consumers think it’s healthier for them, and that’s the problem,” he said.

Brands highlight the positive aspects of their food, but that doesn’t mean that every high-protein product is a good choice, Elliot said. Consumers need to consider other factors such as sugar and saturated fat content, and whether the ingredients list includes a string of additives, she said.

The new nutrition guidelines also warned the public to avoid added sugars and ultra-processed foods, while maintaining the existing advice to limit saturated fat for heart disease prevention.

“Some of these protein bars, many of them are glorified candy bars,” she said.

The new nutrition guidelines may encourage products to continue jumping on the protein bandwagon, but in the long run, food companies will have to consider whether the costs of fortifying their products are worthwhile in an increasingly crowded marketplace, Hallman said.

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“At some point, people are going to figure out they’re getting plenty of protein,” he said.

Most people will be able to meet their needs as long as they have a good source of protein at each meal, alongside fruits, vegetables and whole grains, Crandall said. While most people think of meat when discussing protein, other options with less saturated fat include eggs, dairy foods, seafood, nuts, seeds and beans, she said.

“Protein is one piece of the puzzle,” she said.

For most people, eating more protein than they need isn’t likely to cause a problem, though it can exacerbate kidney or liver disease. The concern is that they’ll forgo foods that are low in protein but high in fiber or vitamins and minerals that also contribute to good health, Crandall said.

“Sometimes when we hyper-focus on one area… we miss out on those other nutrients,” she said.

By PAUL WISEMAN, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings fell to the lowest level in more than five years, another sign that the American labor market remains sluggish.

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The Labor Department reported Thursday that vacancies fell to 6.5 million in December — from 6.9 million in November and the fewest since September 2020. Layoffs rose slightly. The number of people quitting their jobs — which shows confidence in their prospects — was basically unchanged at 3.2 million.

December openings came in lower than economists had forecast.

The economy is in a puzzling place. Growth is strong: Gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — advanced from July through September at the fastest pace in two years. But the job market is lackluster: Employers have added just 28,000 jobs a month since March. In the 2021-2023 hiring boom that followed COVID-19 lockdowns, by contrast, they were creating 400,000 jobs a month.

When the Labor Department releases hiring and unemployment numbers for January next Wednesday, they are expected to show the companies, government agencies and nonprofits added about 70,000 jobs last month — modest but up from 50,000 in December.

On Wednesday, payroll processor ADP reported that private employers added just 22,000 jobs last month, far fewer than forecasters had expected. And the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Thursday that companies slashed more than 108,000 jobs last month, the most since October and the worst January for job cuts since 2009.

“The hiring recession isn’t going to end anytime soon,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, wrote in a commentary. “Job openings in December just fell to their lowest level since September 2020. It’s yet another sign of how little hiring – or interest in hiring – is happening in this economy.”

Economists are trying to figure out if hiring will accelerate to catch up to strong growth or if growth will slow to reflect a weak labor market or if advances in artificial intelligence and automation mean that the economy can roar ahead without creating many jobs.

By STAN CHOE, Associated Press Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Dropping technology stocks are dragging the U.S. market lower again on Thursday, while prices for bitcoin, silver and gold fall sharply. Yields are also sinking in the bond market following discouraging news on the U.S. job market.

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More drops for technology stocks weigh on Wall Street

The S&P 500 fell 0.8% and is heading toward its sixth loss in the seven days since it set an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 326 points, or 0.7%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.8% lower.

Alphabet helped drag the market lower by sinking 5.4%, even though the parent company of Google reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Investors focused instead on how much Alphabet is spending on artificial-intelligence technology and questioned whether it will all prove worth it.

Alphabet said its spending on equipment and other investments could double this year to roughly $180 billion. That blew past analysts’ expectations of less than $119 billion, according to FactSet.

In the bond market, Treasury yields sank after a report said the number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week by more than economists expected. That could be a signal that the pace of layoffs is accelerating.

Some economists suggested last week’s rise could be statistical noise, and the total number remains relatively low compared with history. But a separate report released in the morning said that layoffs announced by U.S.-based employers surged last month. The 108,435 was the highest number for a month since October, according to global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. For a January, it’s the worst since 2009.

Weakness in the job market could push the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to support the economy, even if it also risks worsening inflation. Treasury yields fell across the board in response.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury sank to 4.23% from 4.29% late Wednesday.

The moves were even sharper in commodities markets.

Silver’s price tumbled 12.1% in its latest wild swing since its record-breaking momentum suddenly halted last week.

Gold’s price fell 1.9% to $4,855.00 per ounce. It’s been careening back and forth since it roughly doubled in price over 12 months. It neared $5,600 last week and then fell below $4,500 on Monday.

Both gold and silver had been screaming higher as investors piled into places they thought would be safer amid worries about political turmoil, a U.S. stock market that critics called expensive and huge debt loads for governments worldwide. But nothing can keep rising at such extreme rates forever, and critics had been calling for a pullback.

Bitcoin, which is pitched as the “digital gold,” also sank. It briefly dropped below $70,000, down from its record above $124,000 set in October.

On Wall Street, Qualcomm fell 9.1% even though the chip company topped analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. Its forecast for profit in the current quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations as an industrywide shortage of memory pushes some handset makers to cut back on orders.

Outside of tech, Estee Lauder also topped Wall Street targets but said it expects tariff-related headwinds to wipe out about $100 million worth of profits in its fiscal year. The New York cosmetic company’s shares sank 16.9%.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe and Asia.

London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.9% after the Bank of England held interest rates there steady. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.6%, and Germany’s DAX lost 1.1% after the European Central Bank likewise stood pat on interest rates.

South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 3.9% for one of the world’s biggest moves and dropped from its all-time high. Samsung Electronics dropped 6%, just two days after it had surged 11.4%.

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.