Singing Along

Good tunes and the dogs who love them.

Question:

I have a one year old Bearded Collie who barks and howls whenever I play the piano. My question is, does the sound hurt his ears or is he “singing” along?  He doesn’t leave the room or try to hide.  He barks much less if I play soft or slow, if I play loud and fast he howls.

Dr. Nichol:

Gee, if only our pets could talk. Some folks might wonder if your Bearded Collie (they look a lot like Old English Sheepdogs) thinks he’s a music critic. I’m betting that he actually likes your playing. At a recent continuing education meeting the Bayer Company gave us an evening presentation that included a competition of singing dogs. It was great fun because these pets would match the tempo and volume while their favorite tunes were played. The winner was a Miniature Poodle who just loved BB King. She especially liked “The Thrill is Gone”. While on stage getting her award, BB King himself came out and played and sang right along with the dog. It was a true thrill for everybody. I went out after the meeting and bought the CD-of BB King, that is.