There's one thing that's been somewhat universal throughout all of our experiences at home — streaming video has been very important. Whether it's rewatching The Office for the fifth time or catching up on a new Netflix series, we've all depended on apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video to get us through.
Sure, your dog and cat have been very patient in watching these programs with you. But if you asked them if they loved sitting through The Good Place for the third time in a row, their answer would likely be pretty neutral. While they probably adore Kristen Bell and the extra time spent with you, cats and dogs have a different definition of the word "entertainment."
That's where Relax My Dog and Relax My Cat come in. Often referred to as "Petflix," these services offer programs that your furry friend may actually enjoy. And since we love our pets very much, giving them the remote every once in a while isn't the worst idea.
LittleThings spoke with founder Amman Ahmed about his inspiration for creating this pet-focused streaming service.
So how did this company come to be? Founder Amman Ahmed admits that creating television for dogs wasn't his initial career goal. "I went to the University of Manchester and was on a totally different career path to be an IT consultant," Amman tells LittleThings. "I struggled with education and focusing so came up with the idea of music to help you focus — that was my first side hustle."
Oddly enough, the music used in the videos is also very calming to humans. The videos can very easily help you with meditation or be used as background noise while reading.
Figuring out how animals react to certain sounds was something that Amman became interested in. "At the time there was nothing natural to calm your pet," he says. "Sound is the most natural way to impact the brain on pets." For Amman, the project became even more fun since he's always been a natural pet lover. Finding something to help soothe animals was a rewarding venture.
According to VCA, using soothing tones with your dog is a great way to express love, as well. "A soothing tone of voice expresses affection and caring and is often used when bonding with your dog," the veterinary medicine site explains. "Think of how you talk when trying to comfort a baby and you'll have this tone down pat. Saying 'Sweet pup' when petting your dog tells him that you really love him." So surrounding your dog in a calm environment with calming music and simple video can definitely be rewarding.
So how does the company create content? According to Amman, his staff are very focused on listening to their clientele. "As we grew, we asked our fans what worked and what didn't" he says. This type of model often works wonderfully. Not only do the "Petflix" fans get great content, but they also get to have a say on which programs were the best.
Not all pets like the same thing, but pets can often sense tension in their owners. With these smooth melodies and beautiful videos, your tension will melt away — which will be quite beneficial for your dog or cat.
"We get feedback from 42 million pets around the world," says Amman. "That allows us to always improve our content. We make everything in house based on our own research." So Relax My Dog and Relax My Cat are great at connecting with their many subscribers.
And many of those subscribers have realized that not only have the programs helped their dogs relax during the night, they're also essential when it comes to scary times in a dog's life, like during fireworks displays or if they've been newly adopted into a family after living a shelter life.
With this company, Amman has learned a lot about dogs and cats. While many dogs seem to enjoy similar kids of music, cats — as you all know — are slightly harder to entertain at times.
"Every dog is so individual that we are still working on looking for patterns in different breeds," he says. "Cats are harder to make happy since they are such individual creatures. We know with dogs, our most popular music is our in-house altered version of reggae music." So that's something you may want to try at home for yourself if you're a bit uncertain about subscribing.
Speaking of pricing, Relax My Dog is a lot cheaper than Netflix. Its most popular plan is a monthly subscription for $4.99. But since Amman and his staff believe in their product so much, they're also offering a free two-week trial period to test it out yourself. The worst that can happen is that your dog isn't a fan. But even so, it could be just what you need to help manage your own anxiety.
To be honest, anything that further rewards our pets is worth a look. They've been such a relief during these months at home. Even better, pets provide a low-energy activity when you play with them indoors when the weather is too cold for outdoor play.
"Our content is specifically designed for humans and pets to enjoy together," Amman says. So you might want to get a few blankets and snacks ready for a cozy weekend in with your pet. With Relax My Dog, it'll end up being a lot of fun.
