Just whistle while you walk

September 23, 2022 5:06 AM

What songs should I sing to my dog on our boring walk?

I like to sing songs to my dog on his trainer recommended short boring route around our block. (Working on reactivity - if he's not over stimulated, we do more laps of the block; if he's getting worked up, we cut it short and play in the yard or house.)

Favorites include:

the My Pet Monster cartoon theme song (this is his theme song as well, I am not musical enough to write him his own)
Shake it Off (mainly when another dog has barked at us and I need to move it along - please note that this is not the only strategy I am using to work on his leash reactivity and dog training suggestions aren't needed at this time)
Fido, your leash is too long (when he is pully; again, his leash is not literally too long and we are training to improve the walking manners)

What songs do you like to sing at your dog? What songs would make you laugh when you overheard your crazy neighbor sing them to her dog as they walk past your house?

posted by the primroses were over to Pets & Animals (22 answers total)

Change the words to songs you already know. For instance, I tell myself that my dogs like this one the most:

Take me out
Do a very nice shitty
Where the grass is green
Chase the squirrels and kitty
Oh won't you please take me out
posted by phunniemee at 5:10 AM on September 23, 2022 [15 favorites]

I also replace lyrics. We just got back from our singing walk: 🎶 you'd better leash up / cause you need a walk / and my doggy's super cute 🎶 ("you're the one that I want" from Grease).
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:16 AM on September 23, 2022 [5 favorites]

Best answer: The Monkey and the Engineer but make it about him so he can imagine himself taking off on leash-free, far-beyond-the-block adventures.
posted by headnsouth at 5:40 AM on September 23, 2022

Sea shanties!
posted by Melismata at 6:08 AM on September 23, 2022 [2 favorites]

Brandy, You're a Fine Girl except with [dog name], you're a fine [gender].
posted by terretu at 6:20 AM on September 23, 2022 [5 favorites]

You ain’t nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time
posted by MadMadam at 6:58 AM on September 23, 2022 [3 favorites]

Lately I've been singing "you want to go outside, you want to go outside outside, you want to go outside and jump on somebody," but only because this song has been stuck in my head. I highly recommend just singing whatever song you're into right now and adding dog lyrics on the fly—it'll be much more entertaining for you and you might really surprise yourself with your cleverness. (I was especially proud of the full chorus of "How Come You're a Puppy" variant on Tegan and Sara's "How Come You Don't Want Me" that I came up with while noodling on a dog walk.)
posted by babelfish at 7:02 AM on September 23, 2022 [4 favorites]

Sanpo from My Neighbor Totoro. It's not a "dog song," but it is about walking.
posted by SPrintF at 7:41 AM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Gonna Buy Me a Dog

How Much is that Doggie in the Window?
posted by FencingGal at 7:56 AM on September 23, 2022

Yeah, just swap in "dog" or "puppy" where metrically appropriate, even if it often results in nonsense, as in this recent banger in my house:

I wear my puppy's clothes
I look incredible
I'm in that big-ass coat
From the pet shop down the road
posted by praemunire at 8:37 AM on September 23, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Music for Pets
posted by Splunge at 9:06 AM on September 23, 2022

All About That Bass is a good walking rhythm and lends it self to new lyrics.
Walkin on Sunshine
Tell Me Why is incredibly easy to change the lyrics of.

and show tunes.
posted by theora55 at 10:26 AM on September 23, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I had a very reactive dog and would often soothe him with the classic showtune:

"Try not to get worried, try not to turn onto problems that upset you oh dog you know.."

Also my diva dog was very barky so he was often serenaded with Put a Lid on It.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 10:33 AM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad by Christine Kane.
posted by BoscosMom at 11:15 AM on September 23, 2022

I also sing to my dog by replacing lyrics, usually for potty time.
Potty in the Yard Today to the tune of Party in the USA:
So I throw my leg up/I’m whizzin’ right here/grab my ball so I can play
Sniffin’ the fence like yeah/barkin’ at birds like yeah
Got my leg up/ I’m whizzin’ right here/then I’ll go to bed okay
Yeah gotta potty in the yard today (2x)

To the tune of Backstreet’s Back
Every doggy (yeah)
needs to potty(yeah)
Go out back, alright!

Sam by Sturgill Simpson (YouTube link)is also a good one. But it’s sad. I replace the sad lyrics with “too damn cute”.
posted by kochenta at 11:22 AM on September 23, 2022 [4 favorites]

"Broken glass, broken glass, broken glass broken glass!"
Because most days we find some on the walk and I have to pull her away from it.
posted by Countess Elena at 11:55 AM on September 23, 2022 [3 favorites]

Also do not forget the classic Hamilton lyrics to sing to your dog.
posted by praemunire at 12:01 PM on September 23, 2022 [2 favorites]

Theme songs:
Rin Tin Tin
Underdog
posted by BoscosMom at 12:16 PM on September 23, 2022 [2 favorites]

God I'm old.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:26 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

Anything by Howling Wolf

Also, long songs. American Pie etc
posted by runincircles at 2:13 PM on September 23, 2022 [1 favorite]

Riffing off of theora55's suggestion & Meghan Trainors song:

Because you know I'm all about that dog
'Bout that dog, no kitty
I'm all about that dog , 'bout that dog, no people
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, no fishy
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog (dog, dog, dog, dog)
Yeah, it's pretty clear, you ain't no show boo
But you can shake it, shake it, like you're supposed to do
'Cause you got that woof woof that all the boys chase
And all the right fur in all the right places
I see the magazines workin that Photoshop
We know that shit ain't real
Come on now, make it stop
If you got beauty beauty
just snap your jaws
'Cause every inch of you is perfect
From your ears down to your paws
Yeah, my mama she told me don't worry about those lies
She says, girls like a little more fuzzy to hold at night
(That fuzzy, fuzzy, that fuzzy, fuzzy)
And no you won't be no stick-chasing ball catching puppy dog
So, if that's what's they're into
Then go ahead and move along
Because you know I'm all about that dog
'Bout that dog, no kitty
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, no horsey
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, no piggy
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, hey
I'm bringing mutts back
Go ahead and tell them fancy bitches that
No, I'm just playing I know that you're no rose
But I'm here to tell you
Every inch of you is perfect from your tail up to your nose
Yeah, my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, boys like a little more puppy to hold at night
(That puppy puppy, that puppy puppy)
And no you won't be no stick-chasing, trick doing puppy dog
So, if that's what's they're into
Then go ahead and move along
Because you know I'm all about that dog
'Bout that dog, no kitty
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, no people
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog, no fishy
I'm all about that dog, 'bout that dog
Because you know I'm all about that dog
'Bout that dog...........,
posted by BoscosMom at 2:25 PM on September 23, 2022 [5 favorites]

Best answer: I’m a dog, I’m a working dog, I’m a hard working dog from “Sesame Street.”
posted by Melismata at 7:05 PM on September 24, 2022