Should I leave the radio or TV on for my dog?

A steady, low level sound helps smooth out the contrast between total silence and a sudden loud noise from outside, which can otherwise startle a dog and trigger a burst of barking or anxiety that then takes time to settle again.

Talk radio or a calm music station tends to work better than a channel with sudden loud music, dramatic sound effects, or unfamiliar animal noises that could themselves become a trigger, so testing a few options and observing the dog's reaction is worth the effort.

A dog with genuine separation anxiety will still show distress with background sound playing, since the trigger is the isolation itself, not simply the quiet, so treat this as a small comfort measure rather than a solution to real anxiety.

A smart speaker or a simple radio left on a consistent, familiar station works better than something new or unpredictable, and keeping the volume low enough that it would not be startling itself is important, since a surprisingly loud burst partway through the day can undo any calming benefit. Testing the setup on camera during a shorter absence first confirms the volume and station genuinely help rather than simply adding another sound in the background. Rotating between two or three pre tested, reliably calm stations also avoids the risk of a single station unexpectedly changing its programming to something more jarring partway through the day.