The Story of ‘Cheese Tax,’ the Ultra-Relatable Dog Song on TikTok That’s Permanently Stuck in My Head
human hand feeds small piece of cheese to small dog
@puppysongs / TikTok
Canine parenting is a bottomless vault of silly videos, head-scratching behavior, and, if you’re Atlanta musician Matt Hobbs, just so many songs.
The founder of Puppy Songs so far has written more than 150 tunes about his life with 13-year-old pups Marley (aka Mar Pup) and Leni, a pair of Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix littermates. His latest hit, the musical theater-inspired “Cheese Tax,” has earned millions of views on TikTok while compelling us to always hum the tune on our way to the refrigerator.
What began as a fun project has transformed into a relatable anthem for countless dog owners who expect a canine to materialize next to them whenever they open the cheese drawer or grasp for some Kraft Singles. As the song goes: When the cheese drawer opens, you gotta pay the tax.
“I didn’t guess that this was so universal or that people would be so tickled by it,” Hobbs tells Daily Paws.
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Composing’Cheese Tax’
Puppy Songs began in 2020 as a pandemic “sanity project” for Hobbs, an opportunity for him to practice recording and mixing his own music while he was stuck at home. (If you enjoy a steady diet of dog videos on TikTok, you’ve likely heard his other songs—like “Puppy Walk” or “Stuck on My Teefs.”)
“My wife says I’ve turned her life into a musical,” Hobbs says.
The creative process usually begins when he catches one of his dogs doing something funny on camera or when he notices one of their interesting habits. In this case, it’s them—mostly Mar Pup—appearing seemingly out of nowhere whenever Hobbs and his wife need cheese to cook.
It’s a sight most—all?—dog owners can picture instantly.
“[There’s] this kind, but very serious, puppy who’s demanding a little bit of cheese while you’re cooking,” Hobbs says.
Matt Hobbs holds his two pups Marley and Leni
Matt Hobbs
He’d heard allusions to the “puppy…
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