A Music Video That's Gone To The Dogs

Remember the OK Go video that featured the guys in the band doing a synchronized dance on treadmills? It was super-creative and a huge hit internationally. Well, the guys have outdone themselves with their latest release, the video for the song “White Knuckles” features a dozen dogs (mixed and purebred) and, to my infinite glee, one goat. It’s a cornucopia of canine capers! The dogs rock it!

Just like the treadmill video for the song “Here It Goes Again”, the video is extremely artistic and very entertaining. However, the best part for me is that it features dogs doing many different behaviors of varying levels of difficultly (but none too challenging on their own) very well, simultaneously in real time. The whole routine was filmed in one piece with no editing. While the routine is very impressive, the dogs are allowed to be dogs and to show their enthusiasm for the work.

It’s clear the dogs are having fun, enjoying working, and are comfortable being dogs, letting their own individual personalities shine through. There is nothing robotic or oppressive in their nature. In other words it’s clear to me the dogs were highly motivated and probably play/trained for the video.

This brief interview with the trainer, Lauren Henry of Talented Animals confirmed my suspicions, “"We spent a lot of time playing with them … Each behavior is part of a whole game they’re playing,” she explains. “For instance: the dogs running around people’s legs at the beginning. Riot, the little dog on the left, I would have her go around the chair and then I’d throw the ball. Then I would have her go her around the chair twice, and then throw the ball. And then three times, and then add the person.”

The other great things the dogs’ performance in this video illustrates is that perfection is not necessary for an impressive presentation and that training can be fun at both ends of the leash. Very cool OK Go, very cool indeed.

If you haven't seen the video yet, here a link.