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Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)?
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Subject: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: BK Lick Date: 15 Apr 07 - 07:57 PM When I call mine to come eat her chow (on the rare occasions when she's not already there waiting) I sometimes sing: Come and dine, the Master calleth, come and dineWhile preparing her kibble I often find myself singing: Bought me a dog, the dog pleased meFor 14 years I would joyfully croon to our beloved retriever, to the tune of Pony Boy: Molly dog, Molly dogFor the last three years I've been subjecting our ten year-old rescue dog, Wandie Waggintail, to it -- mutatis mutandis. Anyone else annoy their pets this way? —BK |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: katlaughing Date: 15 Apr 07 - 08:05 PM I sing "Walkies" to my cats when I open up their chicken coop outside the office window. I sing-song it and they come running. We often sing the Kliban cat ditty that goes: Love to eat them mousies Mousies what I love to eat Bite they tiny heads off Nibble on they tiny feet! |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Susanne (skw) Date: 15 Apr 07 - 08:36 PM No, I don't sing to my cat. Don't want his claws all over my face! (He hates it when I play tin whistle, so I don't do that either while he's in.) |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Hawker Date: 15 Apr 07 - 08:47 PM Cats, the mudcatter will confirm that my dog has been banned from the room at Fox & Hounds, as he joins in with lady singers - in an out of tune manner! so no, I tend not to sing to my dog, don't want to encourage him! Cheers, Lucy |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: BK Lick Date: 15 Apr 07 - 09:22 PM Oh, forgot to mention the variation of Cushie Butterfield I'm apt to perpetrate when Wandie comes to dine: She's a big dog and a bonny dog and she likes her chowRetrievers are very forgiving. —BK |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: frogprince Date: 15 Apr 07 - 09:27 PM I used to sing to the old family dog, but he growled more and more when I did, and finally bit me on the leg. I thought it was just a dog thing, until I had the same experience with my first girlfriemd... |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 Apr 07 - 09:35 PM Oh well hell...........Yeah, I sing some simpleass thing to almost all of them and the many I've owned over the years. Some of them really relate to it. Its generally totally stupid, simplistic, and uses their name a lot. Sloopy of course gets "Hang On Sloopy" but he also gets and likes this sung to the tune of "Elvira:" Sloopster...ba-da ba-da dunk pa-pa oo mao Sloopster...ba-da ba-da dunk pa-pa oo mao He's a poopster My little Sloopster When you quit laughing or throwing up, I have one cat who treats his like his own personal travelling music. He will come immediately in most cases. His name is Bixby and he gets this sung to the tune of "Sioux City Sue." Bix, kitty Bix Bix, kitty Bix He is the slickest of the slicks He's our slick kitty, slick kitty Bix He's Bix kitty Bix Bix kitty Bix The slickest of the slicks He's our slick Bix kitty Bix. Look, I never said they were great, just that the cats liked them. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: JenEllen Date: 15 Apr 07 - 09:44 PM Oh sure, and other people's dogs and cats too. For some reason my dog and cat like the tune of "Wishful Thinking" and always come to hear it. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST Date: 15 Apr 07 - 11:43 PM My dog isn't that fond of music, except for Schubert. But someone here posted a cute Canuckian verse for "In the Pines": In the spruce, in the spruce, Where the moose run loose, And you shiver when the lone wolf howls... When I sing this and then start a howling "woo-woo" falsetto yodel, my dog comes running and starts joining in. I also croon sad Russian songs to him. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: bbc Date: 16 Apr 07 - 02:38 AM Too funny. Guess I need a pet! bbc |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Mo the caller Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:03 AM My cat has got used to my recorder, and doesn't sit on my feet when I play it any more. I don't sing to the hens, but as I walk up the path with a jug of layers pellets, I often fine myself singing to myself "All the little chickens in the garden". |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 16 Apr 07 - 04:09 AM Raven the kitty is ashamed to have me sing 'you're my little choochie face' (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) to him... but he's got such an oochie little choochie face! LTS |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: leeneia Date: 16 Apr 07 - 09:13 AM When we adopted the cat Herself from the vet's, we had no idea how fearful she was. She entered our house, then hid herself in the basement for over two weeks. We saw that she was eating and drinking the food that we left for her, but we never saw her and couldn't find her. I formed the habit of singing softly whenever I went to the basement. I think it helped her get used to me. One day I was in the basement, and she approached me and rubbed up against my legs. Very, very slowly I reached down and picked her up. Then I sat on the basement steps a long time, holding her and singing softly. Three times I accidently made a dangerous, aggressive movement (i.e., moved any part of my body the least amount). In panic she would dive under the workbench, but I continued to sing softly, and the tip of her nose would appear as she checked me out. Finally she would emerge and return to me. This went on about an hour until I gathered my courage and took her carefully upstairs to join the household. She's been a dear pet ever since. When I play piano she likes to sit on the bench with me. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: pirandello Date: 16 Apr 07 - 09:35 AM My cat just gives me a dirty look and runs out of the house if I pick up my guitar to sing-I guess he has good taste! |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,catspyjamas Date: 16 Apr 07 - 09:57 AM One cat loves singing and tin whistle (will come nearby/sit on me) and is especially attracted to the note or chord C on the guitar (will jump up to try to rub her head on guitar neck). Other cat seems indifferent. They do react to CDs--to some with suspicion. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Scoville Date: 16 Apr 07 - 10:12 AM My cat did not, and my current dog does not like music. Our first dog, on the other hand, went absolutely bonkers for "Happy Birthday" and would start crying and howling if you even said the words. He was a howler, anyway, and of course nobody has ever sung "Happy Birthday" on key, so he would howl and howl and howl through the whole song. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Captain Ginger Date: 16 Apr 07 - 11:13 AM I sing to my dog all the time - and he sings to me when I pick up the concertina! |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,maire-aine Date: 16 Apr 07 - 01:43 PM I often sing "My Irish Molly, O" to my cat Molly. She looks at me like I'm crazy. Whenever I pick up my guitar, both of my cats head for the farthest corner of the house. Maryanne |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Vixen Date: 16 Apr 07 - 02:10 PM Reynaud and I share two cats; Spike, for whom I composed the following, to some (I'm sure) nursery rhyme tune: My pal Spike is a handsome cat Mittens in front and boots in back Stripes all over and fur so fine Mittens in front and boots behind. and Pounce, for whom I composed (to the tune of Chim Chim Cheroo): Shmoo-belly, Shmoo-belly, Shmoo-belly Pounce She weighs way too much, if she weighs an ounce. (according to the vet, she's not actually overweight, but picking her up is like trying to handle a water balloon--she's sort of bottom-heavy) Pounce crawls all over Reynaud when he plays the concertina. She gets right in the face of my dad or Reynaud when either one plays harmonica, and she pats at the pennywhistle when I'm playing that. She also likes to get on the lap of anyone playing guitar. Both Spike and Pounce often recline on the rug at our feet when Reynaud and I are playing tunes together, attentively twitching their ears. Lacking any other empirical evidence, we're assuming they like music, because if they *didn't,* they'd surely head for the basement. Neat thread... V |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: MMario Date: 16 Apr 07 - 02:42 PM I used to sing for the horses and the burro - they all liked it; often would come and lean against me as long as I sang. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Vixen Date: 16 Apr 07 - 03:22 PM Mmario--I hadn't thought of that--I sing to my horse all the time! It's subconscious--I'm not even aware I'm doing it until someone or something brings it to my attention. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! V |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,Elettra Date: 16 Apr 07 - 05:40 PM Our old tomcat Ferocious (RIP, at age 17) would always attack me when I tried to practice Schubert's "Ave Maria". Nothing else seemed to bother him so we decided he really WAS the spawn of hell. (He was really a sweetheart.) He's been gone 3 years now but sometimes I swear he's still winding himself around my ankles when I'm standing at the stove. E. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: leeneia Date: 16 Apr 07 - 05:53 PM Maybe he was a Calvinist, Elettra. My cats like music if it is gentle. They don't like loud piano, tin whistle or recorders played super high. I think it hurts their ears. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: leeneia Date: 16 Apr 07 - 05:59 PM Vixen, I think that's a good idea about singing to your horses. My sis-in-law loves horses, and she says it is a good idea to make sounds, etc, whenever you move out of their field of vision, so they know it's you and not a predator. She told me that after I had a phone call at the law office about a seven-year-old girl who had been kicked by a horse and killed. The little girl had stepped behind the horse. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Goose Gander Date: 16 Apr 07 - 06:05 PM Yes, I sing to my dog. Here name is Clara Belle . . . I went up to the mountain To see that Clara Belle Way down in the valley I heard that Clara yell, I heard that Clara yell! And sometimes I sing 'Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane' to her, and I'm working on a re-write of 'Sam Bass' . . . Clara came from Midway City It was her native home And at the age of 7 weeks, Clara began to roam She first went to Dog Beach The ocean for to see A kinder-hearted hound dog You'll seldom ever see. She usually cocks her head from the left, to the right, and to the left again. Occasionally, she yips or howls along just a little bit. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: katlaughing Date: 16 Apr 07 - 06:21 PM leeneia, our dad always told us to talk to the horses when we were on their sides or behind them so they would know where we were. We would also reach out and touch them on the rump as we walked around them.(Though I wouldn't do that to a horse I didn't know.) It was a good way to let them know things were okay, as you say. We were ALWAYS admonished NOT to walk behind a horse unless they knew we were going to. Singing to horses reminds me of all the old cowboy tunes used to gentle the herds at night. I reckon the horses liked it, too. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST Date: 16 Apr 07 - 08:00 PM I wouldn't say that sing "to" my dog(s), but I do practice while they are in the room. Sometimes they stay; sometimes they leave. I suppose that along with super-perceptive senses of hearing and smell, they might have some sort of dogvoyant sense of whether I happen to be "on" or "off" during that particular session. I was once temporarily adopted by a stray Siamese cat which was decidedly anti-music. As soon as the guitar strings began vibrating, it leaped on to the nearest piece of furniture or my lap and began trying to damp the strings with its paw--"Oh, you Masters of Wa ..." thwack! "Come All Ye Fair, and ..." Bumpff! I can only surmise that its mother was startled by a hurdy-gurdy during the pregnancy. Chicken Charlie |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: terrier Date: 16 Apr 07 - 09:17 PM If I sing to the terriorists, they quickly vacate the room, I don't think dogs are in commune with human music. Our cats are outside cats and will always come to have a chat, they may not have any 'human' words but they certainly understand more than we give them credit for. I talk to our horses all the time, I think they understand the least of all the animals but just the fact that I try to converse with them relaxes them. I don't have any special way of talking to them, I just treat them all as I would another human friend. I get the feeling that they just cary on as normal and 'humour' me to keep me happy. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Phil Cooper Date: 16 Apr 07 - 10:34 PM One of my significant other's cats likes to hear me play guitar, especially when it's tuned low. He also likes Gordon Lightfoot recordings, so I think the low registers please him. When I was in fifth grade and practicing the french horn our dog, Prince, would start to howl. My first cat, Hendrix, did not like the tin whistle or concertina, or bowed psaltery (I know, you can say, "who does?"). So I think higher register instruments can hurt their ears. The sig-o's cat certainly likes to hear tunes on guitar in CGCGCD tuning. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: CeltArctic Date: 17 Apr 07 - 11:04 AM What a lovely topic! I had a white cat, Branwyn, who hated the sound of my Appalachian dulcimer, for some reason. She was happy to hear me sing acap, or play other instruments, but as soon as I began strumming on the dulcimer, she'd make a complaining mewing sound and leave the room. When she died suddenly, I was heartbroken and couldn't sing for almost a year. I finally got back into my music when a droney type of tune came to my head, demanding to be composed. I composed it on my dulcimer and named it "Branwyn's Pleasure" in her honour. I have another cat who loves it when I practice singing or playing the recorder near a window - something about how the sound bounces off the glass, I think. She gets extremely affectionate when I do that. Moira |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,guest Date: 17 Apr 07 - 02:16 PM One of my current cats will graciously permit us to sing -- the other one bites us if we sing in his presence. We used to have a cat who loved the tin whistle -- but only when she was pregnant. All other cats have run howling away from it. My sister had to give up learning the violin because all of her cats (4 or 5) would climb up her legs and howl every time she practiced. My brother-in-law used to sing to his dog --when he sang, the dog would howl (I would have howled too, to be honest....) |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,Stephanie Date: 17 Apr 07 - 07:20 PM I don't sing to our cats or our dog; it's bad for my morale. I don't even play piano for them. One of the cats has discovered how the volume control on our piano works - turns it down, not up... |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: BK Lick Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:08 AM We've lost our precious Wandie at the age of thirteen -- our pets don't live nearly long enough, dammit. Thinking of her reminded me of this thread and revisiting it helped get me out of my funk. (That's Wandie and me in my Mudcat Facebook group-member photo.) |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Jack Campin Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:23 AM My cats love recorders played as high as possible. On a G sopranino I can get up to the A eight leger lines above the treble staff, and that's their idea of heaven. My Chloe rolls over and over rubbing her head against my toes when I play it. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: SteveMansfield Date: 08 Mar 10 - 12:54 PM Our lurcher sings to accompany our concertinas - so while we don't sing to her very often, she sings to us a lot. I suspect that she thinks I'm singing to her when I'm playing flute or low whistle, though, as she'll wander into the room and lean against my leg waiting for a convenient break in the music so she can have her head stroked ... |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Tangledwood Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:01 PM No goldfish. Doesn't anybody sing to their goldfish? |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:17 PM I had a black lab cross who was such a darling I would sing to him regularly as we drove places. He would absolutely wriggle in delight as I sang "his" song: "A" you're adorable, "B" you're so beautiful.... Best singing dog story I from personal experience: Berea College, Kentucky; very hot summer evening; non-air-conditioned auditorium; amateur concert inside; small group of us standing on the steps outside, including a rangy old blue tick hound who had been wandering around campus all week, ignoring the no dogs signs on all the buildings. A choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus; dog suddenly heads into the building; I follow in curiosity; he trotted right up the aisle, up onto the center stage, sat down and proceeded to add his voice to the choir as it reached the grand finale. The audience broke up but the choir finished very nicely. The dog, having done his part, trotted back outside. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: VirginiaTam Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:37 PM used to sing in the shower... kitty would try to rescue me, cuz she thought I was drowning. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: katlaughing Date: 08 Mar 10 - 05:55 PM BK, sorry to hear about your Wandie. No, they do not live long enough, though my son's cat, Morticia, is still going along at 21. He's had her through so much; he was only nineteen and on his own when he got her. She's been with him through everything imaginable. She has no teeth, is tiny, thin from age, not for lack of food...she gets all the tins of fishie she wants. She easily jumps on the kitchen counter, knocking over glasses of water because she wants to drink it from there not from her dish. She is a piece of work; regularly kicks the younger, big male's bum when they play. It will difficult when she goes. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: PoppaGator Date: 08 Mar 10 - 06:03 PM Leroy, the formerly feral tomcat, will stay and listen to me when no one else will. Well, he stays in the room ~ no guarantee that he's actually listening. I do NOT address any cute little ditties to him personally; just play whatever I'm working up or practicing or simply enjoying at any give moment. He rarely protests. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,Hero's Song Date: 09 Mar 10 - 11:00 AM I always sang a modified version of The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins to my 1/2 basset hound named Bilbo and he would "dance" lifting first one leg and then the other. The chorus: Bilbo! Bilbo Doggy,only two feet tall Bilbo! Bilbo Dogg. Bravest little doggy of them all! and a modified version of B-I-N-G-O, spelling BILBO instead. :) He loved them both. Died at 16 in 2006. I miss him :( |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Bounty Hound Date: 09 Mar 10 - 11:09 AM Whenever an Instrument comes out, Matty the dog plonks himself down next to me and listens avidly! Of course this is only what we would expect as Matty, a collie cross, is one of the 'Bouncy Hounds' the official band mascots! |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie Date: 09 Mar 10 - 11:15 AM I don't recall where I got this from, I don't think I wrote it.... But for many years, my old dog Bess had to put up with me singing to her; I've got a dog with seven paws Bloodshot eyes and savage jaws her teeth are long and pointed And her legs are double jointed And she scratches hamsters' eyes out with her claws She has other nasty habits Like chewing bunny rabbits And she often has a pussy cat for tea If you say it isn't true, I'll set my Bess on you And she'll have your ruddy leg off, just you see! after she died, the song changed to reflect her pup Sam, who we had for another 16 years... |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: keberoxu Date: 12 Jan 17 - 01:47 PM refresh |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Jim Carroll Date: 12 Jan 17 - 02:39 PM Oh dear - this brought a lump to the throat We were recording an old bachelor singer in West Clare, well into his eighties, who had a rake of rare songs. He lived halfway up Mount Callan in a fairly inaccessible area with just a crossbred collie for company. After several years of visits he tiurned to us and said, "you know, I was really pleased when you started to visit - I was always worried that the songs would die out when I passed on". I was so worried I tried to teach them to Topsy. Martin Reidy (RIP) can be heard singing on The West Clare County Library website (Carroll Mackenzie collection) Jim Carroll |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Jan 17 - 04:55 PM Gee, I wonder how I missed this thread. My dog Ralph died in April, but I used to make up songs for him all the time. It seemed to please him to hear his name mentioned in song, no matter how dumb the song was. I miss him. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: Helen Date: 12 Jan 17 - 05:12 PM Hi all, I do a whistle version or a do-doo-dee-do version of the first few bars of Hail to the Chief sometimes when I walk into a room and one or more of the cats are in there. It was just a tune which came into my head one day and I never really thought about it until now, but as the saying goes, cats don't have masters, they have slaves, so I guess I am just showing respect to the household Chiefs. I also whistle a specific phrase when I want them to come in. They don't come in unless they want to, but usually it's because I have some food for them so it is worthwhile for them to be a little bit responsive - although never obedient. I've done the whistle tune since each one was a kitten, so they have grown up hearing it. I lived in a shared house a few decades ago with a couple of cats. One would leave the room when I played the flute and the other would leave the room when a housemate used to play the fiddle. Helen |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 12 Jan 17 - 06:24 PM My dogs and I frequently sing in unison, The siren goes by...they sing...and we strike up a harmoious chorus. It is most unfortunate for this teenage White House visitor that she got bit in the face by Obama's dog. Most vicious dogs would be "put-down". Fortunately, President O will have lots of time to train a beast. www.newsmax.com/US/obama-dog-bites-teen/2017/01/12/id/768292/ Sincerely, Gargoyle If I play before they walk ... they nudge my hands off the keyboard until I am forced to walk myself. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: GUEST,Jon Date: 12 Jan 17 - 06:36 PM I'm not convinced we have had a cat or dog that is particularly interested in music Of our current cats, Oedipus used to get disturbed by whistling sounds but he has gone pretty near stone deaf in his old age. The other one tolerates but appears to disapprove of my playing anything. Our last dog (and maybe others - I can't remember) would join in a chorus of "Ow Ow Owwwwwwww" but I'm not sure if that classes as music. |
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Subject: RE: Do you sing to your dog (or cat, or...)? From: keberoxu Date: 12 Jan 17 - 06:38 PM What do you all call the sound that little terriers make? You know what I mean. Different than barking. And it LOOKS the way a hound looks when a hound puts its head way back, puckers its mouth kind of, and lets out a ....howl. But terriers can't howl really. It just looks as though they are TRYING to howl. But what comes out is a high sustained....I don't know what. Certainly not barking. Some terrier fanciers call it singing. You? |
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