Music and pets

Many years ago, I used to play Flute and Clarinet. A cat I knew loved nothing better than to shove his little head up the bell of my clarinet, every single time I played, (I guess he loved the vibrations?) and would complain loudly if I stopped before he was finished. Whenever I played flute, he'd do his best to head-butt it, which is rather difficult for the person playing it at the time!

Over the years, I have played my clarinet to many a dog. I don't remember my parents dogs being terribly interested in the sounds eminating from my room of a Saturday morning, and I can't say that my first dally was all that bothered either. But my current little boy is another story altogether.

He loves to sing along to either clarinet or flute. He cannot get enough of it. Today, when I was practicing my clarinet, I stopped (mostly because I was laughing so hard at my impromptu duet with the dog that I needed to stop for breath!), and he came running up to me, head-butted the clarinet and looked at me, as if to say "come on! I'm not finished yet! Keep playing!"

He's getting quite good at hitting the correct notes as well. As I changed pitch, he'd change pitch, and I would hold a note until he found that same note, then we would change again. He's actually coming on in his music lessons quite well :-)

When I used to have Dad's house dog over, she would often join in the singalong when I practiced as well, but was quite content to sit on my feet, while joining in. My boy feels the need to prance around the house, singing as loudly as he can.

I've yet to try it with the Greyhounds. They have choir practice every morning and every afternoon as it is. I'd rather not start a full blown concert!