4 June

Why We Sing To Dogs

by Jon Katz
Why We Sing To Dogs

People sometimes feel a little self-conscious about singing to their dogs – I certainly do. But as I have studied and written about communicating with animals for some years now, I have come to take singing to dogs (and cats, horses and donkeys too) very seriously.

Dogs do not know most of the words we spout at them, but they are extraordinarily sensitive to sound and the emotions behind sound. Trainers often used high-pitched voices for reinforcement, praise or to get a dog’s attention. If you really pay attention to it, there is something very powerful about the communications between an animal and a human being singing. Most dogs respond almost immediately to the love and emotion – the attention and arousal – that goes with singing. They may not understand what we say to them, but they are quick to grasp what we are feeling for them. They respond, and then we respond.

Our society is becoming increasingly humorless, filled with warnings, lawsuits, medical procedures, the angry and callous posturings of politicians, the deprivations of corporations, which have ravaged the workplace,the marketplace, the economy, the media, much of our culture, and our increasingly  ideological and money-polluted political system.

By contrast, our love of our pets, our dogs and our cats, is a pure expression of love, joy and connection. Kids grow up and distance themselves from us, as they should, and the institutions in our lives become increasingly remote, uncaring and inaccessible. The love of a dog is as pure an emotion as there is. Try this: when you are singing to your pet, close your eyes for a second and pay close attention to how you feel, the lift in your heart, the glow in your inner spirit. When the dog looks at you and wags, melts, howls, reacts, it triggers a sense of connection that is not cute or trivial, but powerful and vital. Nourishing, uplifting.  We need it, it heals and sustains us, our pets are doing the most essential work keeping us connected in ways the rest of our world sometimes is not.

At night, Lenore sits and waits for me on the bed. Her ears go back, her tails starts to thump, she turns to jelly, waiting for the song I inevitably sing to her. As I lean over her and croon my love, she turns to jelly, and licks my face and hand, rolling over on her back. My heart lifts, my worries wash away, and I am reminded that love is pure and powerful. That is not a small thing. Our relationship is all about love and service, diluted by none of the things that complicate human relationships.

It is cute, but more than that. It is endearing, but beyond that. It is sappy, but much more than that.  It is a beautiful and timeless connection, a bridge between two species whose souls can connect with song in a way that lifts us up. Just read the lyrics pouring into my  Facebook Page.

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