Send in the Hounds

Send in the Hounds

Posted on February 28, 2012

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This week I want to share one of my absolute favorite childhood musical memories. At about age 10 or so I played the trumpet as did my brother. We’d practice in the mornings before going to school. We had 2 dogs at the time – Flash- a German Shepherd who was dumb as topsoil and Charlie a little mutt spaniel who was a tough little SOB. They began to take keen interest in our playing. One day they started howling along with our practice and from then on not a session went by without Flash and Charlie launching into their version of the Hallelujah chorus as soon as the first trumpet tones reached their ears.

It got downright Pavlovian- to the point that as soon as they saw our trumpet cases come out they’d let out a few practice yips and do a bit of warming up with a few half moans just to loosen the tonsils. And then when we started playing they would really let er rip. To them it was the morning singalong and it was great.

So Christmas rolls around and the dogs and I are in the car at the little shopping complex near our home. My dad is in the hardware store getting some Christmas lights or something-the snow is lightly falling and it’s really feels quite seasonal. Down the walkway comes a makeshift brass band made up of various students and parents who have been traveling to the various small shopping places in the area and spreading festive cheer with a bit of music. They park themselves in front of the hardware store –right in front of our car.  They begin  O Come all ye Faithful

Flash and Charlie, who’d been snoozing in the back seat, spring to life! “Can it be? Bonus singalong time?”  Tilting their heads back and in sheer joy they launch (with now magnificent well practiced doggie voices) into brilliant canine accompaniment! In the distance, another dog, not to be outdone,chimes in as well.

And so it was that  3 dogs did an absolutely rousing version of O Howl all ye Faithful with brass band accompaniment – only to be disappointed when the band decided to quickly relocate to a less Fido populated area.

But it was magic -they were dogs and they were singing. Bravo!