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There are apparently multiple speech pathologists that have trained their pets to communicate with buttons that speak a given word when pressed. I can't tell if

• crooked-v 6y ago
  Some of the prominent examples from three different pet owners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFOxjyXb1x4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFOxjyXb1x4 (Stella, a dog that's managed some obvious associations, like 'outside', 'park', and 'play') https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPC6ElzSdxM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPC6ElzSdxM (Bunny, a dog that's learned more elaborate combinations like "where (object)" or associating "stranger" with someone walking outside) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZzJqZQpmTs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZzJqZQpmTs (Billi, a cat that's learned some simple things like requesting pets, then pressing the "All Done" button and walking off)
  • clairity 6y ago
    my dog certainly knows the words 'outside', 'treat', and 'friend' (for dog friends). she also knows 'go say hi', which is permission to approach a stranger (more in hopes of treats than pets, if we're being honest).
  • csomar 6y ago
    Second video is really interesting. It's like the dog is well aware of the buttons and their content; but is not very interested in doing what its owner want. Instead, it seems it's interested in other things (stranger) and would make an effort to communicate that. I think trying communication while factoring that (things dog are interested in) might yield more interesting results.
  • animal531 6y ago
    One of the things I enjoy about these is the difference between the cat and the dogs. The dogs are in general very declarative, although sometimes unsure about what is going on or what they want. The cat on the other hand is only interested in itself and its family member (ie. doesn't care about what's going on outside); but it also seems to change its mind constantly. It might ask for one thing, then seem to think about it and change its mind to something else and change the buttons it is pressing. But processing the data from them is really hard. Obviously they know a lot of these words, but its when they combine them in interesting ways that you begin to wonder how deep their understanding and ability to express goes. For example Bunny might combine her meager word-set to express something that makes you wonder if what she's trying to say is more than the sum of her words, and if whether she understands it at that level.
    • crooked-v 6y ago
      For one of the funnier examples with the cat, take a look at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP2SyvutIKA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP2SyvutIKA She pushes the 'Outside' button, goes to the door and looks at the snow and slush outside, and immediately turns around and goes back in... and then a few minutes later pushes the 'Outside' button again while staring at her owner (and not actually going to the door), obviously expecting or hoping for something to happen that will 'fix' the unpleasant weather.
• geocrasher 6y ago
  A coworker of mine has trained his dogs in this way. They have over a dozen buttons now. The dogs know each others names and will say things like "Sadie Ralphie Outside Play" to ask if they can go outside, or "Sadie Upstairs Nap" which is followed by going upstairs and taking a nap. I'm surely getting the exact wording (and definitely the names) wrong, but it's pretty crazy what they're capable of.