A rather curious group of Guide Dog puppies and their volunteer handlers have found a way to spend their Sunday afternoons around Shorncliffe Pier—experiencing live music played by local band The Lethargic Barnacles.
Six-string guitarist Kristian said the first time the puppies listened to the band play, there was an immediate connection.
“They seemed hypnotised by the vibrations,” Kristian said. “Their nose came close to the instruments to sniff. It was like a sweet treat for the dogs.”
The band, consisting of four members—Darryl on bass, Kristian on six-string guitar, Nick on lead guitar and vocals, and Andy on baritone ukelele—plays each Sunday beneath the setting sun, with the belief that it is not about making money but making people (and dogs) happy and putting a smile on their faces.
“For community enrichment,” they said.
Sound Exposure as Part of Guide Dog Training
Guide Dogs Queensland volunteer Natasha Gilmour said the puppies had not been exposed to much live music before.
“To actually see the sound coming from the strumming of the instruments, I think that association really got them all quite intrigued,” Natasha said.
The most intrigued among them was a young puppy named Duke.
“Duke is really sound curious, his ears pop up and his head does this tilt. He’s not frightened and he never reacts negatively to things,” she said.
The puppies are still in stage one of their Guide Dog program, which involves exposing them to a wide range of sounds. This includes everyday household noises from lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners and blenders.
“We come down most Sundays, so have made seeing the band a regular part of the puppies’ socialisation routine,” Natasha said.
If you find yourself strolling along the pier on a Sunday afternoon, don’t forget to stop and say hello to the Lethargic Barnacles—and, of course, their four-legged fans.
“We play everything and anything—we all bring something with a different flavour across multiple genres,” said Kristian.
“An eclectic mix,” Darryl added.
Most Sundays, when the puppies arrive, you’ll find the band playing I Love My Dog by Cat Stevens, with an audience full of tilting heads and wagging tails.
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