As is often the case, this brief story was inspired by a video that wound up in my inbox this morning.
It features a very cute toy poodle named Mocha who knows how to "strum" a guitar. I've known cats and dogs who did this sort of thing by accident (You know who you are), but it seems Mocha has a pretty decent sense of "timing." (To people who can't take a joke, I know dogs don't know anything about musical timing). Mocha is featured in the second video. (Note; I particularly enjoy his strum at the 1:02 mark.)
The top video, however, features a smiley golden retriever who really likes the sound of an acoustic guitar being strummed — and who gets noticeably upset when the strumming stops. Try to watch the entire video to get the full effect. It's not too long.
This video, which was posted a while ago (It's been a few years at least), has been viewed more than 10 million times. I figure another two or three couldn't hurt!
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
