Piano-playing dog from Long Island steals Internet's heart
RONKONKOMA, Long Island (WABC) -- Some dogs roll over and others play dead, but one Long Island dog is capturing the Internet's attention with his musical talents.
In the dozens of videos posted to YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, Buddy Mercury, a beagle-basset hound mix, stands on his hind legs next to a piano, taps the keys with his two front paws, then tilts his head back and howls.
"There's actually people making videos of their beagles listening and singing along," Glen Wolfe said.
His owners, Laurie and Glen Wolfe, from Ronkonkoma, said they never taught Buddy Mercury -- named after their favorite singer and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury -- how to play piano. He's self-taught and plays by (floppy) ear.
Still, the pup gets a treat after most performances.
The rescue dog's first brush with fame came after a video posted to YouTube in February 2017, but he reached a new, younger audience when his talents were put on display on the video-sharing app TikTok in April.
Just like any other contemporary celebrity, Buddy Mercury has an Instagram page, blog, and, yes, even merchandise. But it's all for a cause.
"We want to help more animals get rescued," Laurie Wolfe said. "We only have so much space in our home. We can't keep bringing them here."
And while Buddy has a clear fan base, he also has some versatility -- even if it's more "Hairy" Connick, Jr., than Harry. Still, he's certainly the heart and soul of his home.
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