Ever sing to your dog? One TikTok account shows just how universal it is

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

So Ari, I've got a question for you.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Shoot.

SUMMERS: When you're out walking your dogs, do you ever just, like, start singing to them?

SHAPIRO: I think that's like shower singing. It's universal. Everybody does it. Don't you?

SUMMERS: I do. And I have to confess, I cannot carry a tune, but I know it's a thing. And one musician who recently made a live performance debut caught the attention of one of our fellow dog owners and producers. Let's take a listen.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PUPPY WALK")

MATT HOBBS: (Singing) Going on a puppy walk. Got to put my little harness on 'cause we're going on a puppy walk.

SUMMERS: Well, that's from an Instagram and TikTok account called - what else? - Puppy Songs.

HOBBS: So March of 2020, I had a lot of time on my hands, so I was trying to get more of my music out on the internet. I needed practice producing my own tracks.

SHAPIRO: That is creator and musician Matt Hobbs. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and their two senior dogs, Marley and Leni.

HOBBS: And the dogs quickly became, like, an endless source of inspiration. I was singing to Marley on top of the sofa.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

HOBBS: (Singing) I'm a little pup.

I was like, man, I want to make a track out of that.

SHAPIRO: And so he did.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

HOBBS: (Singing) And I love belly rubs.

I don't know. It was just an experiment. And then I did a few more.

SUMMERS: And from here, we are just going to let his work speak for itself.

HOBBS: There's "When Mom Comes Home..."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHEN MOM COMES HOME")

HOBBS: (Singing) When Mom comes home, it's the happiest feeling. I could jump through the ceiling.

..."Amazon Man..."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AMAZON MAN")

HOBBS: (Singing) I'm going to get you someday, Amazon man. Watch out. Watch out.

SUMMERS: (Laughter).

HOBBS: "We Promise We're Never Going To Poop On The Floor Again."

SHAPIRO: Oh, yeah, I've heard that tune.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "NEVER GONNA POOP ON THE FLOOR")

HOBBS: (Singing) OK, we might still do it sometimes when it's late at night or it's raining...

There's more than 150.

SUMMERS: Hobbs now has more than half a million followers on TikTok - now me, too. And after performing in his first live show in New York City, he hopes to do more.

HOBBS: It's wild because I've made music for myself, with other artists, for theatre, for advertising, and it's just remarkable how the 12-second songs about the dogs are the things that stick.

SHAPIRO: Well, maybe it's not that wild, considering how many very good boys and girls there are out there.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PLEASE RUB MY BELLY")

HOBBS: (Singing) Please rub my belly. Give me that belly rub. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.