gglassmeyer

The music director at my church wanted to add a trumpet and trombone to her choir for Easter. She had the 2 of us meet her for a short run through on Saturday. Well as usual she had her beagle pup in the office and I've never seen a dog get so freaked out by a trumpet in my life. My dog has howled a few times at me, but this dog was terrified. I wasn't even playing anything high or loud (or sucking that badly), just starting out with some long low notes to warm up. The dog cocked it's head, kept looking in all directions trying to figure out what was making that sound, then it just started to tremble.
I stopped while we waited for the t-bone player to arrive and let the dog out of it's crate. It came over and cautiously examined the horn. When we began rehearsing the dog calmed down, but man I felt horrible.

My dog doesn't really seem to mind the trumpet as long as I don't play too loudly.

brem

Dogs are creatures of habits. You drastically changed his routine. That's perfectly normal behavior. Don't feel too bad, because if you start feeling bad everytime your dog's routine is changed, you'll need anti-anxiety pills :P

rowuk

The dog didn't freak out, it thought that YOU were trying to move in on its turf - Howling to the Glory of God. That dog did the same thing ANY first trumpet player would do when competition shows up - try to establish who is boss. From your post, the dog was successful. You need to rehearse a couple of times and reestablish your position as the highest and loudest, as well as give the dog confidence that it will not lose its job!

oldlou

I must be doing something wrong. Our cat comes to the doorway of my home office almost immediately every time I start practicing. I wonder, is he checking on me, enjoying the music, or, pleading silently for me to cease and desist?


OLDLOU>>

rowuk

Probably the first two. Cats are VERY direct with their wishes and consequent in their behaviour. If they do not like something or somebody, they will not try to change it/them. They will just stay out of the way. I guess you are just the cats meow!

Pedal C

My current cat sleeps ten feet away while I practice but my previous cat literally ran at the sight of the trumpet. I guess I'm getting better. :)

barrypartake

My two Dachshunds look at me for a moment and then start howling in unison, and this is when I have my Silent Brass hooked up. I hate to think what they would do with a live horn. It does make me feel guilty when they start howling.

Barry

rowuk

Dogs need gentle conditioning. They are intelligent and do get the message after a short while. We do not have any pets, so it is me that does the barking AND the trumpet playing. That does not work at the same time, so - problem solved!

jazz9

My dog runs away when I get out the case, much less start playing. She knows exactly what's happening, and she doesn't like it!

flugelgirl

My dog sleeps in the room while I practice (snoring loudly!), even when I practice picc! Once in a while I take her to the bandroom with me if I have to pick something up at night, and one night a friend was there practicing. He tried and failed to make friends with her (she doesn't trust men), and went back to practicing. As soon as she heard a trumpet, she went up to him wagging! That just proves I've trained her right!;)
The cat's don't mind trumpets and go about their normal business when I practice, but as soon as my husband's french horn comes out they flatten their ears and run. It's not that he's a bad hornist - I think they just hate the overtones! They especially freak out if he warms up with the bell off.