Wagnific: A Review of the Product and Its Marketing

Is Wagnific a rip-off? When you got here right here due to points round being overcharged, take a look at the Higher Enterprise Bureau’s report on them.

I’m right here to speak about whether or not the music is what they are saying it’s and does what they are saying it does.

This new music-for-dogs product has come out with some excessive claims. Its advertising and marketing web page states it will possibly:

Alleviate anxiousness

Decrease barking

Management aggression

Enhance immune system and general well being

Enhance sleep

Cut back noise sensitivity

Wow, it does all of it! Possibly it cures most cancers, too?

Their web page is sort of a bingo card of typical BS about sound merchandise for canines. Their descriptions embrace buzzwords like “pure frequencies,” “resonance,” “mimicking resting coronary heart fee,” and most necessary, “pure.” However first let’s speak concerning the music itself. What’s it like?

Wagnific’s Music

I took one for the crew and paid my $19 and endured a subsequent flood of upselling emails from Wagnific, to not point out that I listened to and analyzed the music.

This music is all possible generated electronically. There are doable exceptions in a few items (with acoustic guitar or a sound-alike), however most or the entire sounds should not created by acoustic devices.

To convey what a lot of this music seems like, I must let you know about synth pads. These are background washes of sound, often massive chords, which might be generated by a synthesizer. Right here’s a fast instance of a pad with a very good demonstration of its perform. Synth pads have been fashionable in canine music for some time, I consider as a result of they add a richness that people take pleasure in and may also present an ultra-slow harmonic development that conveys calm to some individuals (and makes others wish to climb the partitions). Right here’s a chunk of music that’s primarily based fully on pads. It’s necessary to notice, although, that canines don’t hear as effectively within the decrease ranges that pads often embrace, in order that they in all probability don’t hear the richness and depth that we do. (In case you haven’t realized, the target market for “calming music for canines” is definitely people.)

On the entry web page are seven ten-minute items, one to be performed every day for his or her “7-Day Nervous System Therapeutic.” As well as, they embrace 4 bonus tracks to: “ease separation anxiousness,” “calm your canine throughout thunderstorms, fireworks, and different loud noise occasions,” “soften whining and barking,” and to assist “restoration and leisure throughout sickness or after veterinary procedures.”

Of those eleven items, 4 are primarily synth pad and nature sounds, three have piano (or a piano-like sound) with heavy use of synth pad, two are primarily acoustic guitar (however in all probability synthesized), one is a really loud and dense pad-heavy piece with some shifting internal components which might be arduous to listen to, and one is a synth pad with percussion and a few odd excessive frequencies that may be attempting to imitate insect (nature?) sounds. Paradoxically, this droning buzz would in all probability be the half that canines heard greatest.

This music is nothing to jot down dwelling about. The items sound like off-the-shelf tracks you should purchase on a website like Pond5. To listen to comparable items, search YouTube for music with the key phrases, “New Age,” “Meditation,” Leisure,” “Yoga,” or “Ambient.”

So, let’s see if this very odd music lives as much as the odd and excessive claims.

We Use “Particular” Frequencies!

It is a fashionable speaking level with music-for-dogs purveyors, and Wagnific’s model is especially foolish. Right here’s a quote from the “Science” part of the entrance web page of their website.

“Pure Frequencies: Particular vary of frequencies between 432Hz and 639Hz. These are chosen as a result of they resonate carefully with the pure frequencies discovered within the physique, selling concord and stability.”

OK, first off, whose physique? Pure frequencies relate to physique components or entire our bodies, and canines have one of many widest styles of sizes of any mammal on the planet. I might love for Wagnific to inform me which physique components (on which canines) resonate to these frequencies. There are a couple of research on the pure frequencies of human bones and organs, however a fast look by Google Scholar didn’t flip up any for canines, though there have been some on different mechanical properties of bones in canines.

And so far as “selling concord and stability,” I’ve a complete put up written on the absurdity of the claims about exterior sounds resonating within the our bodies of people or canines and having magic results.

Listed here are the frequencies they point out within the advertising and marketing level I quoted above. To your listening pleasure, I generated a sine wave with 5 seconds of every. Hear to listen to the magic!

They Acquired the Pseudoscience Flawed

I do know why they picked these frequencies. The frequencies 432 and 639 Hz are each fashionable in pseudoscience; simply look them up on YouTube. They’re every presupposed to have magical qualities. However bear in mind, every of them is only one tone. Wagnific didn’t even get the pseudoscience proper. Observe that they mentioned “between” these two frequencies. They counted on individuals recognizing the numbers as having some purported glamor. However they merely made them into boundaries of a “vary” of frequencies, as an alternative of tangible frequencies with supposed particular person traits, as is often claimed.

And you understand what’s humorous? This frequency “vary” is just not in canines’ optimum listening to vary, which facilities on 8,000 Hz. It’s fairly low for canines.

However wait, there’s extra! On the paid entry web page to the music, in reply to an FAQ query about whether or not senior canines can hear the music, they are saying, “Even canines with gentle listening to loss can typically nonetheless detect the precise frequencies we use (432Hz and 528Hz).” So, which is it, people? Is it a variety, or is it these “particular” frequencies? To not point out—which frequencies? The second is totally different on this web page. It (528 Hz) is yet one more frequency fashionable in pseudoscience.

You possibly can all the time inform when somebody who doesn’t perceive them makes use of the phrase “frequencies.”

Nonetheless, does Wagnific’s music embrace frequencies between 432 and 639 Hz as they declare? Or the person frequencies of 432 and 528 Hz? The second declare is straightforward to examine. No. These frequencies didn’t come out within the spectral evaluation besides in a single piece. As for the “vary” declare—sure, frequencies in that vary are current. However they’re in a central vary for nearly all human vocal and instrumental music, and had been extra outstanding in a number of random “meditation” tracks I checked from different sources.

When you assume I’m writing an terrible lot about this—bear in mind Brandolini’s Legislation, or the Bullshit Asymmetry Precept. And I haven’t even begun to cowl all of the nonsense from this firm!

Music That Matches Coronary heart Charge (Besides They Acquired It Flawed)

Once more, Wagnific wins final place.

Now, it’s a standard declare that the tempo of some music matches the resting coronary heart fee and that there are advantages to this (you’ll be able to lookup “entrainment”). And within the analysis concerning the impact of music on people, that’s one of many few issues that has some proof behind it. However the many papers have diversified outcomes.

So, the purveyors of canine music like to say synchronization or entrainment between music tempo and coronary heart fee. Nonetheless, it seems that Wagnific didn’t hassle to lookup details about canines’ coronary heart charges.

Their declare:

“Exact Beats Per Minute: (60–80 BPM) Tunes set to a tempo of 60–80 beats per minute (BPM), mimicking the calming impact of a canine’s resting coronary heart fee, resulting in physiological modifications that promote obedience and focus.”

Besides 60–80 bpm is NOT the canine’s resting coronary heart fee. Wagnific used the numbers for human resting coronary heart charges! The Merck veterinary guide states the vary of canines’ resting coronary heart charges as 70–120 beats per minute.

So, though it’s the mistaken vary, is Wagnific’s music paced at 60–80 beats per minute as they are saying it’s? Most of it isn’t. Out of the eleven items I analyzed, simply 4 had an audible beat in that vary. The bulk (six) didn’t have a lot of a beat in any respect; they had been simply washes of various synth pads with out a whole lot of rhythm. A few of these had an implied beat round 40 bpm. I say “implied” as a result of it’s arduous to listen to. One had a beat that was tinkered with to the place it was irregular (rubato). Many of the items have the OPPOSITE of “exact beats per minute.” You’ll be arduous put to even faucet out a rhythm whenever you heard these.

Naturalistic Fallacy

They declare: “Wagnific Is A Pure, Inexpensive and Extra Efficient Answer For Bettering Conduct.”

Simpler than what? They are saying it’s more practical than “dominance coaching,” “non-public trainers,” “bark collars,” and “deal with coaching.” The issue with deal with coaching, by the way in which, per Wagnific, is that it “requires fixed bribing with no lasting outcomes. The second treats disappear, so does the great conduct.” (Extra critique from Wagnific about coaching is in “Amusing and Tragic Odds and Ends” under.)

There may be a whole lot of irony right here, beginning with the truth that they don’t perceive how optimistic reinforcement-based coaching works. However extra to the purpose: music is just not “pure.” Music is human artistry (because it’s not related to their claims, I’m omitting issues like birdsong and the philosophy of some avant-garde composers). And just about any music we take heed to at dwelling as of late is made from ones and zeros saved in pc reminiscence, performed over a digital gadget. Digital music that features no recorded precise devices is the least “pure” of all. I’m not placing down synthesized music. Folks can do amazingly inventive issues with it. However “pure” it ain’t.

Buzzword Gobbledygook

On the entry web page to their magic music, together with the creepy AI artwork of a golden retriever in several life durations, they’ve blurbs for the totally different items. Each considered one of them is a mishmash of buzzwords. Right here’s simply considered one of them.

“Day 4: Harmonic Belief – Limbic Stability Harmonic progressions strengthen neurological belief pathways, reinforcing obedience behaviors as your canine’s nervous system adapts to sustained leisure.”

Right here’s my commentary.

“Harmonic belief”: This isn’t a factor. Limbic stability is, however it’s an excessive declare {that a} ten-minute piece of bargain-basement synthesized music may assist with that.

“Harmonic progressions”: Nearly all music has harmonic progressions. “Comfortable Birthday” has harmonic progressions. This isn’t a speaking level. It’s like saying somebody’s particular recipe soup has liquid in it.

“Neurological belief pathways”: The one hits you’ll get on looking out that time period are a handful on pseudoscience websites.

“Reinforcing obedience behaviors”: OBEDIENCE BEHAVIORS?!? Nicely, that’s actually handy.

I’m not arguing that instructing and inspiring canines to calm down is a foul or ineffective factor. Simply that Wagnific’s jargon is all blended up (and music is just not very efficient at stress-free canines).

The descriptions of their items are all like this: mixtures of buzz phrases and phrases from music, neuroscience, physics, or ethology, often used incorrectly.

Of their FAQ, they state that “Our melodies are particularly engineered primarily based on canine neurology analysis and medical testing, not human music preferences.” It’s simply arduous to consider, since they consult with the tempo of the human coronary heart fee and state a give attention to frequencies that people hear higher than canines. Anybody who seems like asking them concerning the medical testing half, be happy. They’ve a assist e mail on their web site.

Amusing and Tragic Odds and Ends

We now have to chortle so we don’t cry, proper? Merchandise like these stop pet homeowners from discovering legitimate assist for the issues their canine or their household is enduring. They’ll lengthen struggling.

Though there’s gentle proof that “classical” music can calm down canines in some conditions, specifically designed canine music has not been discovered to take action (Lindig et al., 2020), and has failed in eight research thus far. And there’s not ANY scientific assist for the concept music can handle particular points reminiscent of separation anxiousness or sound sensitivity. It is a pattern that was began by different “music for canines” firms: totally different playlists to handle canines’ totally different psychological, behavioral, and bodily situations. It’s nonsense, and it preys upon the desperation of people who find themselves attempting to assist their troubled, scared, previous, or painful canines.

The birdsong present in lots of the clips would have triggered some sound-phobic canines, together with my Zani, earlier than her psychological well being improved with meds and coaching (not music).

Wagnific runs an advert on Instagram that compares features of coaching a reactive canine with a coach (60 days, $2400 {dollars}, on meds, nonetheless barking) and shopping for their product (7 days, responds to “instructions” once more, no destruction, no meds, $19). Observe the enchantment to the naturalistic fallacy with the “no meds” line.

They’ve run an advert on Fb with one other outlandish declare, and mentioned their product was backed by science. I responded within the feedback, asking for a hyperlink to the research supporting it however obtained no response.

The separation anxiousness music consists of not solely operating water, however loud splashing. (?)

The sound sensitivity music is essentially the most full of life and busy of all of the clips, with synthesized maracas and different percussion together with pseudo handclaps. Possibly they’re going for masking? It’s unusual after all of the delicate and mooshy items.

Quote from the music entry web page: “These melodies might sound easy, however they’re backed by years of affection, analysis, and testing.” (Emphasis mine.) Their web site was registered in 2024, and that’s additionally the date of firm listed on the Higher Enterprise Bureau web page. BBB isn’t often very useful, however the Wagnific entry is value a glance. Try the complaints.

About Wagnific

The enterprise seems to have existed for two-plus years, since 2024, they usually began promoting their product within the second yr (or probably the primary yr). They checklist a road handle in Phoenix, AZ, however it’s a field at a UPS retailer, in order that they possible should not have a brick-and-mortar workplace. I couldn’t discover them registered within the state of Arizona on any of the federal government enterprise listings. (If anybody does, please let me know and I’ll appropriate this.) This web page lists the enterprise title as out there to be used/registry in Arizona.

Extraordinary Claims

So, is Wagnific a rip-off? It has lots of the hallmarks. They certain say a whole lot of issues that aren’t true, they usually use language in disingenuous methods. They don’t come off as an organization that’s in it for the love of canines, no matter they declare.

Carl Sagan (standing on the shoulders of different giants who mentioned comparable issues) famously mentioned that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. However these claims by Wagnific are past extraordinary; they’re ridiculous. They’ll’t even get their story straight.

Feedback

Concerning feedback: in case your canine is helped by Wagnific or any canine music, I’m glad for you. However I received’t publish anecdotal feedback about that. My stance is that it’s irresponsible to steer individuals towards such issues even when they “labored for you.” There may be loads of evidence-based info on the market about serving to canines with conduct issues. And there are many different locations you’ll be able to write concerning the wonders of music for canines. Not right here.

Copyright 2026 Eileen Anderson

Reference

Lindig, A. M., McGreevy, P. D., & Crean, A. J. (2020). Musical canines: A evaluate of the affect of auditory enrichment on canine well being and conduct. Animals, 10(1), 127.

Photos

Eurorack modular synthesizer is from Wikimedia Commons through person Paul Anthony below this license

88-key keyboard is from Wikimedia Commons through person Guypeter4 below this license (I altered it by cropping it from a extra intensive graphic and including the pink field)

Harmonic development is from Wikimedia Commons through person Hyacinth. It requires no license as a result of, based on Wikimedia Commons, “a chord development is a musical idea or method, which is taken into account too easy to be eligible for copyright safety, or which consists solely of method, with no unique artistic enter.”

The picture of Angus and Jem kindly offered by and copyright Blanche Axton.