The Dodos began playing music together in 2005, when Meric Long, who had been gigging steadily in San Francisco as a solo singer-songwriter, was introduced to Logan Kroeber through a mutual friend (a college acquaintance of Long´s that happened to be Kroeber´s cousin).

Long self-released a solo EP titled "Dodo Bird" in February 2005 in which Long played all the instruments. While performing the songs from this release, Long and Kroeber met and started playing together. They worked to blend Long´s training in West African Ewe drumming and Kroeber´s experience in metal bands to create music in which "drumming could be a center role and help bring out the syncopated rhythms coming out of the acoustic guitar."

The Dodos are known for using an alternate instrumental approach. Logan plays on a drum kit without a bass drum, playing often on the rims of the drums, and also uses a tambourine taped to his shoe. During live performances they have a third member playing a vibraphone, and a drum and two cymbals placed on each other (like a hi hat)