How Buttons Are Altering Our Communication With Dogs
Play? Treat? Existential crisis? Dogs are using buttons to tell us what’s really on their minds.
We have always accepted that dogs communicate with us in limited ways – that is, through barking, howling, or body language. This communication gap can sometimes affect the bond we have with our pets and impede our understanding of them and their wishes. But what if your dog could literally talk to you?
Well, there’s a company creating a product and a learning program designed to bridge that gap: FluentPet. FluentPet gives dogs (and other pets) a way to “talk” using recordable buttons that they just have to press with their paw.
Bunny the Dog
Bunny, a Sheepadoodle from Washington, has gained attention for being one of the most advanced users of this button communication system. Bunny started with just a few buttons for simple things like “outside” or “food.” Over time, this evolved into more complex communication. She began pressing multiple buttons to form phrases and eventually full sentences, share her feelings, ask questions about the world around her, and even answer questions posed by her owner.
Her progress was documented via TikTok videos, many of which went viral. Bunny’s TikTok account, @what_about_bunny, now has over 8 million followers.
In one TikTok video, Bunny uses buttons to express concern about her paw — a key example of her expressing a sense of emotional awareness. She creatively uses "Stranger", "Ouch", and "Paw" to tell her mom that she had a foreign object in her paw.
@whataboutbunny Check your doggy’s paws if you live in an area with foxtail #ouchie #talkingdog #cutedog #communication #doggyanthem ♬ original sound - I am Bunny
This is important because it demonstrates that these buttons aren't just for entertainment; they can also help address real bodily issues your pet may be experiencing. More about Bunny's story can be found on the FluentPet blog here.
FluentPet
FluentPet is the leader in animal communication systems. It was started in 2019 by Leo Trottier, inspired by research originally aimed at helping non-verbal children and adults communicate. Much of this research originated from Christina Hunger, a speech-language pathologist who noticed potential in her own dog, Stella, and began experimenting with using this system outside of humans. She saw that her dog was able to grasp concepts and learn the system relatively fast.
Bunny’s owner, Alexis Devine, later connected with Trottier, and they worked together to adapt the buttons into something easier for dogs and owners alike. In the end, they created an expandable system of hexagonal tiles for animal communication. This collaboration helped evolve FluentPet into what it is today: an easy, largely affordable tool for animals to use. FluentPet now has over 2.3 million purchases and over 30 million button presses!
How It Works
The FluentPet system uses buttons that can be programmed with any sound or word you choose. You begin by teaching your pet simple, tangible concepts, like “outside,” “play,” or “food.” Over time, with consistent use and positive reinforcement, many animals can learn to combine buttons and express more complex or abstract thoughts.
The hexagon-shaped tiles are usually organized according to the Fitzgerald Key, which breaks the buttons into categories: subjects, objects, places, actions, descriptors, and social.
Inside the Mind of a Dog
The Netflix documentary Inside the Mind of a Dog (2024) is also helping to enhance our understanding of canine behavior and cognition. One segment features several highly intelligent dogs using soundboards to communicate. Cognitive scientist Federico Rossano studies these dogs to explore the depth of their communication abilities. His research supports the idea that these dogs are not merely mimicking sounds and actions, but are actually understanding and responding to questions and abstract concepts.
The teaser trailer for Inside the Mind of a Dog gives us a heartening glimpse of some of this inspirational documentary, which looks at the human-dog bond throughout history and depicts several dogs using FluentPet systems for communication.
Not Just for Dogs
FluentPet isn’t just for dogs. Cats, pigs, goats, and even small animals like guinea pigs can be trained to use the buttons. The most important part of using the system is consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. Just like teaching any skill to an animal, it takes time and dedication, but the results can be truly incredible.
Here are some animals (other than dogs) using these buttons to communicate with their owners:
A guinea pig on Instagram named Millie uses buttons to express her emotions and needs in an adorable way!
A cat on Instagram, Puffin(@puffindoestricks) asking for attention and answering a question posed by his owner with no hesitation.
@puffindoestricks This is CRAZY - Puffin answered my “when” question! #fluentpet #scottishfold #scottishfoldlovers #scottish #scottishfoldcat #talkingcat #smartcat #attentionnowplease #demanding #smartpet #viralcat #genius #now ♬ original sound - Puffindoestricks
Final Thoughts
By bridging the communication gap between humans and their canine companions, talking dog buttons are enhancing the human-dog bond in ways that once seemed impossible. No longer limited to barking or body language cues, they can seemingly inquire into and voice exactly what they want, need, or feel with this technology.
This kind of interspecies communication is poised to reduce frustration for both pets and their people. It allows dogs to be more involved in our world, making them active participants in and commentators on our daily lives. Whether it's asking to go on a walk, expressing excitement, or even sharing discomfort, these small, powerful exchanges help create a deeper dialogue with our animals – inviting empathy and reminding us that our animals have something to say (and that we should be listening).
