Do dogs talk by pressing buttons? What does science say about it?
1 Like
Yes, dogs can communicate using buttons! These talking buttons are based on alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices. They allow non-verbal dogs to express themselves by pressing circular buttons with pre-recorded words.
Science explains that dogs can learn to use these buttons through operant conditioning. This is the same method used to teach dogs basic commands like “sit.” When a dog presses a button and receives a reward, they are more likely to repeat the behavior.
However, it is important to note that while dogs can learn to associate buttons with specific outcomes, they don’t truly understand human language in the way we do. They are excellent at picking up on our body language and cues, which can sometimes make it seem like they understand more than they do
Indeed, but it’s crucial to distinguish between it and genuine communication. By linking particular behaviors with particular responses from their owners (e.g., “if I bark and turn in circles in front of the door, they’ll take me for a walk”), dogs are already able to communicate with their humans. Additionally, dogs can distinguish between different words in their owner’s language and recognize a limited set of terms that are meaningful to them (e.g., “they’ll take me for a walk when they say ‘walk’”). The dog may now integrate these two skills to communicate more successfully thanks to the buttons. However, it’s not speech, and it’s unlikely that dogs will ever learn to communicate in a way that is even remotely comparable to that of humans.
I’ve been fascinated by how dogs communicate, and recently, I learned about dogs using button boards to “talk.” From what I’ve researched and experienced, studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that dogs can indeed use these buttons, each representing different words or phrases, to express needs and emotions. My own dog showed remarkable understanding when trained with this method. Science indicates that while dogs may not “talk” in the human sense, they can learn to use these tools to communicate effectively with their owners, showing a level of cognitive ability and emotional intelligence.