We wrote a song: The Little Dog Blues.

Little Dog Blues
To the tune of, and plagiarized from, Jimmy Rogers’ “Texas Blues” (which may be from an earlier Blues song?) Helps if you can yodel, or howl and yodel simultaneously, and get your dog to howl on cue. Only the last 2 lines of the chorus are from the "Texas Blues" melody; make up your own. Note the 3 different choruses. That’s too awkward for sing-alongs, in which case the 2nd shown here is best. Doc Watson also recorded this.

Jimmy Rogers' Texas Blues
-----------------

Now, the way I’ve been treated, I almost wish I was dead. (not really)
The way I’ve been treated, I almost wish I was dead, (poetic license)
I ain't got no place to lay my weary head. [original verse.]

Now I got my troubles. I see that you got your troubles, too.
We all got our troubles; I see that you got your troubles, too,
And you ain't got nobody to tell your troubles to. [And you know how it feels to be so doggone blue. -- original verse.]

chorus 1:
It’s cold and lonely living out on the street. Stranger, can you spare a little somethin’ to eat?
I’m kinda lonely; are you kind and lonely too?
Are you somebody with the lonesome little dog blues?

Sometimes I drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log, 2x
And since I can’t be your good [gal/man], I sure would like to be your dog.

I’ll be your best friend as long as you're treatin' me right;
Come runnin’ when you call, and I’ll keep you warm at night;
We can play, you can pet me, and I’ll love it when you hold me tight. [lewd guitar riff]

chorus 2 [preferred]:
No job, no money, no clothes, no shoes, no home, no Honey, I got nuthin’ to lose;
I’m looking for somebody, and I wonder if it just might be you?
I’m lookin’ for somebody with the lonesome little dog blues.

My legs are short, and I ain’t got no tail at all, (they took it away when I was a puppy)
My legs are short, and I ain’t got no tail at all,
But I can bring you more love than any long freight train can haul. [this is my favorite verse.]

Y’know, I’m not singin’ Blues, I’m just tellin’ you the hard luck I’ve had, 2x
And the Blues ain’t nuthin’ but a good dog feelin’ sad. [nearly original verse.]

chorus 3:
I got no steady meals, I got no roof above; but all I really want is somebody to love.
I’m looking for somebody, and I wonder if it just might be you?
I’m lookin’ for somebody with the lonesome little dog blues.

Now, some like Chicago, some like Memphis Tennessee, [original]
Chehalis, Copalis, Walla Walla or Vancouver, B.C., [improvise]
I like it here in [Seattle] where the people are so good to me. [original is "Give me sweet Dallas Texas, where the women are so good to me."]

So when you’re feelin’ so downhearted that you almost wish you was dead, (don’t even think about it)
When you’re feelin’ so unhappy, you almost could wish you was dead, (be patient)
You just get yourself a dog; you’ll be [happier/happy you’re] alive instead.
Get a dog, get a friend, and be happy you’re alive instead.
---------------------

© El Cheapo Productions John Wolff, Gwynnie, and Allegro 6/27/2008. Apologies to Jimmy Rogers.

This isn't my YouTube post, but I actually got this Lightning Hopkins record at a neighborhood yard sale:
Lightning Hopkins "Dirty Dog Blues" (a different song)
and play this for your dogs when the neighbors aren't around:
"Cryin' Dog Blues"

I drink muddy water, sleep in a hollow log...

Here's a new one 12/16/12, when Anne brought Abbey home:

John Prine, "Dear Abbey"

Dear Abbey, Dear Abbey, please answer my mail,

My legs are too short and I don't have a tail,

My ears are too big, I'm just 8 inches tall,

The world looks so big, and I'm feeling so small.

(signed) New Puppy

New Puppy, New Puppy, you have no complaint,

You are what you are, and you ain't what you ain't,

So listen up, Buster, and listen up good,

Start wishing for dog food and knockin' on wood,

(signed) Dear Abbey.

Dear Abbey, Dear Abbey, Now what do you think?

Whenever I poop, they all raise a big stink.

They seem so unhappy whenever I pee,

Is it something with them, or something with me?

(signed) New Puppy

New Puppy, New Puppy, you have no complaint,

You are what you are, and you ain't what you ain't.

You won't be the best, and you won't be the worst,

Whenever you go, you should go outside first.

(signed) Dear Abbey

Dear Abbey, Dear Abbey, please hear my concerns,

They won't let me dig holes or roll in dead worms.

I can't bark or bite, or chew on their shoes,

There's so many new rules, and I'm feeling confused.

(signed) New Puppy

New Puppy, New Puppy, you have no complaint,

You are what you are, and you ain't what you ain't.

Learn all the new rules, and learn 'em up good,

Train them to love you. Keep knockin' on wood.

(signed) Dear Abbey

Dear Abbey, Dear Abbey, I'm writing to say,

I'm all grown up now and I'm happy today.

My new home is almost too good to be true.

I've taught them to love me, and I love them too.

(signed) New Puppy

New puppy, new puppy, you're on the right track.

When you love somebody, they love you right back.

Remember wherever you wander or roam,

There's nuthin' like family, there's no place like home.

(signed) Dear Abbey

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Comment by steve smith on August 5, 2011 at 10:59am: I think I lost the comment. The box was empty but my photo was up. From now on it is better to use Notepad and paste the comment.

Comment by Cathy & LadyBug on August 18, 2010 at 4:47pm: So Cool - Thanks I love it _ Gonna put on my mp3 player ha ha

Comment by John Wolff on October 16, 2009 at 12:30pm: I have never thought of this as a sad song at all. It's one of those double-entendre Blues seduction songs. This is a dog that knows what it wants and is out to find it, and will succeed. That's what the Blues means to me -- not wallowing in sorrow, but acknowledging Trouble and meeting it with Determination to rise above it and succeed. Encouragement amid Struggle.
My favorite example of this is Stan Rogers' "Mary Ellen Carter", which I call a "White Blues" song:

The Mary Ellen Carter
(Stan Rogers) {I change the ship's name to "The schooner Phoenix"}

She went down last October in a pouring driving rain.
The skipper, he'd been drinking and the Mate, he felt no pain.
Too close to Three Mile Rock, and she was dealt her mortal blow,
And the Mary Ellen Carter settled low.
There were five of us aboard her when she finally was awash.
We'd worked like hell to save her, all heedless of the cost.
And the groan she gave as she went down, it caused us to proclaim
That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise again.

Well, the owners wrote her off; not a nickel would they spend.
"...She gave twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end.
But insurance paid the loss to them, so let her rest below..."
Then they laughed at us and said we had to go.
But we talked of her all winter, some days around the clock,
For she's worth a quarter million, afloat and at the dock.
And with every jar that hit the bar, we swore we would remain
And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

Rise again, rise again, that her name not be lost
To the knowledge of men.
Those who loved her best and were with her till the end
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

All spring now, we've been with her on a barge lent by a friend.
Three dives a day in hard hat suit and twice I've had the bends.
Thank God it's only sixty feet and the currents here are slow
Or I'd never have the strength to go below.
But we've patched her rents, stopped her vents, dogged hatch and
portholes down.
Put cables to her, 'fore and aft and girded her around.
Tomorrow, noon, we hit the air and then take up the strain.
And watch the Mary Ellen Carter Rise Again.

For we couldn't leave her there, you see, to crumble into scale.
She'd saved our lives so many times, living through the gale
And the laughing, drunken rats who left her to a sorry grave
They won't be laughing in another day. . .
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Rise again, rise again - though your heart it be broken
And life about to end
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend.
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Wiki article

Comment by Aj on October 15, 2009 at 8:29pm: Bravo! It was a wonderful, but sad sad song.

Comment by Avyon on October 7, 2009 at 2:12pm: I love it. Brought a tear to my eyes actually lol. I wish I could hear it just not in my head hehe.