Researchers know from audio recordings of wolves that each wolf will change its tone when other wolves join the “chorus,” possibly because no wolf wants to end up on the same note as another wolf. It’s thought that this is why a dog howling with people who are “pretend howling” is instantaneously noticeable: The dog is deliberately not in the same register as the other voices.
Compared to wild canines, however, domestic dogs bark a lot more and howl only occasionally, and scientific analyses suggest that they have a sense of pitch!
Furthermore, research has found that dogs have musical preferences and will react differently to different types of music. In an experiment by psychologist, Deborah Wells, dogs at an animal shelter that were exposed to heavy metal music became agitated and began barking. Conversely, classical music had a calming effect on the dogs who barked less and typically settled down to doze.
In 1936, President Roosevelt invited Arthur “Stubby” Stubbs, the Golden Gloves boxing champion of the day, and his Bull Terrier, “Bud,” to the White House. While Stubby played the banjo, Bud “sang” a medley of Stephen Foster songs. Sadly, no recordings of the impromptu performance exist, but Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, did later say, “I don’t know if it was music, but it was interesting.”
Image: “Hobnobbers by Paul Doyle
https://www.facebook.com/