perfect pitch in animals

[Tom J Armstrong]

Dogs are remarkable creatures.  They are often employed as helper canines
for people who are hard of hearing.  They can alert them to smoke
detectors, telephone ringing, doorbells, etc.  My dog can recognize the
sound of my car engine over my neighbors.

Now perhaps certain dogs can help hearing impaired technicians.  

I propose a new PTG membership designation:   BARC  (Beneficial Aural
Reflex Canine)

An additional test would have to be carefully designed and administered
by trained CTE's.

    

On Thu, 10 May 2001 23:41:44 EDT Tvak@AOL.COM writes:
> Today something interesting happened at my first tuning of the 
> day...
> 
> I was in the process of doing a pitch raise on a spinet.  When I got 
> to D#6 
> the client's dog started barking wildly.  Non-stop 
> BARKBARKBARKBARKBARKBARK.  
> This continued while I raised the pitch on E6 and then stopped 
> abruptly when 
> I got to F6.  I didn't really think anything of it, till I went back 
> for the 
> second pass.  Sure enough, the first strike of D#6 and the dog goes 
> wild.  So 
> I asked the client if she had a doorbell, which she did.  I asked 
> her if I 
> could hear it, and she told me she'd be happy to , but it would make 
> the dog 
> bark.  Incredibly, the doorbell was a harmonic major 6th, Eb (or D#) 
> and G 
> below.  
> 
> Anyone ever run across this phenomenon of an animal seemingly having 
> the 
> ability to recognize pitch?  (Or do you think this was this just a 
> coincidence?)
> 
> Tom S.
> Chicago PTG Associate
> 
> P.S.
> I wish there was a convenient abbreviation for "Associate", you 
> know, like 
> there is for the other guild category, RPT?  The only abbreviation 
> that comes 
> to mind is...well, one that I wouldn't care to use after my name.  
> (Opening 
> the door...) Any suggestions?
>