Bass Hating Dog!

dminer · #1 06-08-2010, 11:31 PM

Well, I met a girl a few years ago and we hit it off right from the start. Her dog also took to me immediately and he and I became best friends. We all moved in together and I think she was even a little jelous that HER dog suddenly became MY dog.
That little guy would follow me everywhere and would wait paitiently, looking out the front window for me when I was at a gig or work or just off to the store ect. He was my white shadow.
But, even though he adored me, as soon as I pulled out a bass from it's case he would leave the room. Now, I never terrorised him by suddenly turning on my amp and blasting him with a barrage of low notes or sneaking up on him with bass in hand or anything! He just did not want to be in the same room with me while I was playing...plugged or un-plugged. He hated the bass!! He'd sit or lay there comfortably if I played acoustic guitar or if we were playing the stereo, No problem.
Maybe it was his own silent comment on my playing ability
(he was the smartest dog I ever knew)...or maybe the low notes hurt his ears...or maybe he couldn't figure out how a dead chunck of wood could make those bothersome, creepy low-tone notes!!
So here's to POLARIS...the bass hating dog!!!

Anyone else have a similar experience with a pet?
cheers dm

redefine dave · #2 06-08-2010, 11:38 PM

I've got a year and a half old Boxer named Joplin that must sit next to me and put her nose on the headstock as I play... She loves the bass.

TheBasicBassist · #3 06-08-2010, 11:45 PM

I've got a pit bull puppy that used to be afraid of the bass itself, not the sound from the amp, and a bull terrier that always tries to jump in my lap whilst I'm playing - lol.

MattimusPrime · #4 06-09-2010, 12:42 AM

I have a parrot who I think is jealous of my bass - he'd rather have my fingers scratching his head that playing the fretboard, so he'll try and bite my fingers to get my attention.

Other than that 3 of our dogs are fine with it, but the fourth will always take opportunities to come into the room, bark until I get up to tell her it's ok, and then she runs away before I can get to her, only to repeat the barking later.

iri5h_punk21 · #5 06-09-2010, 12:59 AM

my cat LOVES when I play bass. she always crawls in my lap and grabs my fretting hand and starts licking it

David Pinton · #6 06-09-2010, 01:04 AM

When my brother played the saxophone, my sister's dog would join the jam and go WOOO...

Growly Lytes · #7 06-09-2010, 01:15 AM

Animals are very smart. Much smarter than we actaully know they are.
My dog knew i was a bass player !

Agito · #8 06-09-2010, 02:02 AM

My dog loves when I play Jazz music on the bass and not the funky stuff

DVinti · #9 06-09-2010, 02:39 AM

All 3 of my dogs instantly get up and run to the back of the house because they think the bass is a thunderstorm coming. lol

sound of bass · #10 06-09-2010, 02:54 AM

I had 2 Black Labs that I feel were indifferent to the whole thing. They were always by my side for whatever I was doing, but they never showed any emotion either way when it came to the bass. These dogs were great bird hunters and had heard many, many shotgun blasts, so I dont think the low end bothered them....but then again, thunder sent them cowering, hmm.

Atnum · #11 06-09-2010, 05:02 AM

My dog also doesn't like the bass. I have a separate practice room and she will follow me In there but the moment I take my bass out of the stand she will run out of the room. If I closed the door she will scratch it.

Never did anything bad to her with anything music related. In fact I can play music from the computer and she sometimes lies next to the sub woofer.

father of fires · #12 06-09-2010, 05:47 AM

I fostered a Pit Bull that loved when I played upright until I used a bow. He would attack it and me. It didn't matter if I even played a note. Once he saw that bow he was all over it. I guess he thought is was HIS toy. This is the kind of dog that would pick up a branch and drag it during walks. I had to stop playing arco for a year and a half while we tried to get him adopted. It's ok because I suck with a bow anyways. It would have been nice to practice though.

FromBeyond · #13 06-09-2010, 05:52 AM

When im practicing, i'm sitting on a coach next to my dog. Usually he's just sleeping, but sometimes he actually starts scratching my bass, or pawing at my right hand

as if to say "No, stop playing."

billoetjen · #14 06-09-2010, 06:09 AM

ALL my pooches get real relaxed and sleepy when I practice (excepting the rare instances of feedback, etc.). It's the GF who wishes I had a different hobby...

the yeti · #15 06-09-2010, 06:17 AM

my dog lays down where i'm practicing and goes to sleep.

i had a dog till a couple years ago that when i was playing my upright would come and put his head to it. that was kinda cool.

chokeslam512 · #16 06-09-2010, 06:18 AM

My Frech Bulldog, Fiona, will chase the reflection cast by anything chrome on my basses. She also enjoys a good ol' Schroeder/Genz Benz butt massage from time to time:

Phalex · #17 06-09-2010, 06:44 AM

I used to practice in a guitar players basement years ago. He had a golden retriever that would sing anytime we played an A. High A, Low A, didn't matter, he'd just start howling. We never did figure out how to work the dog into the stage show.......

DRafalske · #18 06-09-2010, 07:15 AM

I had an Alaskan Malamute that was scared to death of loud noises. Fireworks, thunder, car horns... He used to hate when I'd practice. I think he knew that I was causing the noises that were frightening him. He'd go downstairs and pace back and forth in the living room until I was done.

Gord_oh · #19 06-09-2010, 07:23 AM

my golden retreiver not so much a fan of the sound coming out of my amp. she would go nuts, i would guess from the frequency maybe it hurt her ears....or i just suck.

Jonyak · #20 06-09-2010, 09:27 AM

my dog comes and lays down at my feet when I play. she seems to really like the upright more than electric though