Teach Your Dog to Sing

Can Dogs Be Trained to Sing?

“Singing” with your dog can be a lot of fun, as long as you take care not to crank up the music volume too much. Most creatures seem not to mind quiet, soothing music in the animal kingdom, such as a slow classical piece. Having lived around musical humans for thousands of years, dogs seem to be more tolerant and appreciative of other sounds and rhythms.

There are three ways you can teach your dog to sing, suggests Alison Smith, author of the book 101 Fun Things to Do With Your Dog: Tricks, Games, Sports, and Other Playtime Activities. 

How Do You Teach a Dog To Sing?

First, try experimenting with different instruments and types of music. See which one might grab your dog’s attention the most. Next, train your dog to bark when it hears a noise cue. If your dog naturally barks whenever a cymbal crashes or a horn in a song blows, give the command, “Sing!” and then reward with a treat.

The goal is to reinforce what your dog is naturally doing during precise moments. As we all know, dogs are incredibly social animals. They don’t want to be left out.

Smith writes that if you set up a sing-along with other friends, and perhaps dog friends too, you can again give the “Sing” command, allowing the other dog and human voices to encourage your own pet’s vocal prowess. She advises bringing a clicker (if you clicker train your dog) to further help your pet to understand. Treat rewards can again help to establish the behavior.

Like human singing, practice makes perfect. Your dog may never be the next Pavarotti, but plenty of practice will help your dog become better at singing on cue.

Article written by Author: The Dog Daily Expert