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How Stella Learned to Talk

An incredible, revolutionary true story and surprisingly simple guide to teaching your dog to talk from speech-language pathologist Christina Hunger, who has taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using simple paw-sized buttons associated with different words .

We recommend reading this book first to give you a better understanding  to how these dog talking buttons work.

How Stella learned to talk

A story of how Stella the dog learned to talk

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The use of buttons for communicating with nonverbal individuals in cognitive science has become a trend. Pioneering speech therapy Christina Hunger discovered that these buttons are also used for communicating the needs of a pet.

By clicking the button where words and sounds were recorded, dogs can begin learning basic phrases such as "play" and "out."

‌By clicking the button where words and sounds were recorded, We can always rely on our dogs to cheer us up. They are funny, protective, mindful, and playful. Dogs deserve our undivided love. Show your love with these amazing Amazon finds. We hope you find your next best product from the list below.

So begin learning basic phrases such as "play" and "out." Stella is an animal experts believe that can understand up to 160 words 20% of dogs understand 250 words, though they may only be able to respond to a handful of them.

There are many training videos you can look up. Dogs communicate their needs and want through body language and instinctual behaviors. The most important thing you can do to communicate with your dog is to learn to read their body language and use food as an incentive.

Dogs use their tails, ears, eyes, and mouths to communicate. They may also bark, growl, or whimper. Each of these behaviors has a different meaning.

Tails: A wagging tail doesn't always mean that a dog is happy. Dogs wag their tails for different reasons, depending on the situation. For example, a dog may wag its tail when it's excited or nervous.

Ears: Ears are another way that dogs communicate their emotions. For dogs may prick up their ears when they're interested in something or alert to a sound.

Eyes: Dogs also communicate through their eyes. a dog may give you a "hard stare" when it's angry or dominant.

Mouth: A dog's mouth can also communicate its emotions. For example, a dog may show its teeth when it's feeling threatened or aggressive.

Barking: Barking is one of the most common ways that dogs communicate. Dogs bark for different reasons, such as to warn of danger, to greet someone, or to get attention.

Growling: Growling is another way that dogs communicate their emotions. Growling can be a sign of aggression, fear, or dominance.

Whimpering: Whimpering is a way for dogs to communicate their need for comfort or attention. Dogs may whimper when they're injured, sick, or scared.

Dogs are amazing creatures that deserve our love and attention. By learning to communicate with your dog, you can build a stronger bond and a better relationship. We hope we can help you show your dog how much you care.

How do we choose these dog-talking buttons?

We've scoured the internet for the best dog-related products out there, and we've compiled a list of our favorites. Each product was independently selected by our editor. All our opinions are our own.

We hope you find your next selected best product from the list below. Happy shopping!

1.Hunger for Words Talking Pet Starter Set -

Hunger for words talking pet

recordable buttons

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TEACH your pet to speak like Stella the dog with these recordable buttons for dogs!

  • DEVELOPED by speech therapist Christina Hunger, the creator of the talking dog movement!
  • RECORD simple words like “outside,” “play,” or “bed” with 4 dog communication buttons!
  • DISCOVER insights and tips from the step-by-step teaching guide written by Christina Hunger!
  • LEARN more from the book How Stella Learned to Talk above is the link for book.
  • Included Components: 4 recordable buttons, activity guide
  • Improved Sound Quality: Our original buttons now come with updated technology that improves recoding consistency, volume, and sound quality!

R.H.W.5.0 out of 5 stars Love them!Reviewed  March 15, 2023. Daughter is having a good time training the family pet!

Shannon - gave a 4 star rating --Love the hunger for words line! I was pretty excited for these prerecorded buttons, but they are pretty quiet compared to the self-record buttons. I still would recommend, though!


Josh Galus 5.0 out of 5 stars Work great! I got these for my 9-month old American Stafford shire Terrier. She's very skittish and was afraid of the buttons at first. After some practice using "touch", she became comfortable and used the buttons nearly immediately.

The buttons are solid, loud, and the perfect size for the dog. After some use, I'm removing some buttons and look forward to adding some more practical (for us) buttons. Can't recommend enough!

As a bonus - I didn't realize how much she wants fresh water. Whenever her bowl is half empty and sat for a while, she uses her button and gulps down fresh water.

2.Vocal Pups Dog Buttons For Communication!

The Talking dog buttons for communication with a male voice. This is a starter pack. This is a great way to get started with using buttons for communication, speech training with your dog.

The set includes pre-recorded buttons with a male voice for better audio quality.

STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT BUTTON DESIGN – Be it a heavy-footed Great Dane, high energy boxer, or super smart cattle dog Vocal Pups word buttons for dogs are reinforced to help stand up to small pats and big steps as they’re learning what each button does for them.

COLORFUL, BATTERY POWERED, PET-SAFE – These dog word buttons are both an audible and visual training tool. They’re AAA battery powered (not included) and even feature a pet-safe battery compartment to ensure they don’t swallow parts.

Vocal Pups dog buttons 

for communication and speech therapy

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  • MALE VOICE PRE-RECORDED BUTTONS – Build a deeper bond with your best friend with these easy to use, better sounding dog training buttons for communication. Each VocalPups set comes with 4 different loud and clear already recorded buttons for dogs to talk with.
  • BETTER SOUND QUALITY – The biggest problem with other dog speech buttons is poor audio quality. You have to record your voice through a cheap microphone. We have solved this problem by building all  Vocal Pups buttons with loud & clear already recorded words on them, ensuring top audio quality every-time.

     VIDEO GUIDES INCLUDED – Building your dog's communication board and teaching them to talk will be a walk in the park with easy to understand dog button training video lessons on each word. You will find access to these videos inside the box

‌‌ No messes in the house since we bought these!

Our 6 month old puppy kept messing on the carpet. I bought these on a whim to see if they’d work. He was trained within a week. Not a single accident in the house since!‌‌We enjoyed it so much we bought the “love you” button, which makes us all laugh and he gets hugs and kisses

3.FluentPet Cross-Compatible Hex Tiles

Fluent Pet Dog Talking Buttons

6 recordable buttons for Cats or Dogs  

Fluent Pet Cross Compatible Hex Tiles

6 recordable for cats and dogs

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Increases Pet Vocabulary: The FluentPet Large Hex Tiles are 11.8-inch interlocking tiles designed for use with FluentPet’s Dog Button word learning kits. Extend your pet’s learning board by adding more tiles.

  • Holds More Buttons: The pet learning mats can securely hold up to 6-word sound buttons. You can use large and compact buttons together. 6 Word sound buttons are purchased separately.
  • Unique Patterns: Make it easy for pets to associate words with the right learning categories. Our tiles come in six different color or pattern combinations that are easy to tell apart.·
  • Quality Material: Our quality, soft-top mats are easy on the paws. They’re also durable, non-slip, and easily disassembled. The spacious design allows you to easily install more word buttons.·
  • Simplified Learning: Extend word learning the easy way. The design lets you keep old word buttons on their existing soundboards. Teach new words without having to replace old buttons or mats.
  • Customized Learning Made Easier: These recordable buttons for dogs/cats lets you choose the words you teach your learners. You can also group the buttons on the Hex Tiles by category to simplify their learning
hex tiles for dog buttons for communication

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4. PETOPIX Dog Talking Button Set with Non-Slip Pad (Green) - 4X Recordable Dog Communication Buttons with Upgraded Sound Quality - Easy to Use Talking Buttons for Dogs and Cats with Pet Training Guide

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  • · Teach your dog or cat to learn the words/phrases and talk to you using our Dog Buttons for Communication. PETOPIX Talking Buttons for Dogs and Cats is a revolutionary tool for your pet to better communicate with you.
  • ·  Unlike other Dog Communication Buttons, their kits are included a Non-slip and Unique Patented Design Pad that the recordable buttons will be placed on it. The pad is designed so that your pet can simply memorize the location of each unique word on it.
  • · unlike most of the Dog Buttons on the market, the PETOPIX set comes with 4 Dog Speaking Buttons made of high-quality microphones, and speakers that record and replay your voice clearly - {Batteries are included}
  • ·    Record the words/phrases (e.g., "Outside", "Food," "Play", "Potty", etc.) on these Dog Talking Buttons, 2) Place the buttons on the pad, and 3) Use our full Training Guide, teach your dog or cat to press the right button based to their needs/feelings.
  • Petopix mission is to help your lovely pet to experience better communication with you using our Premium Quality Dog Talking Button Set. They stand behind their product and guarantee your satisfaction.
  • So don't wait any longer; click and train your dog or cat to learn words/phrases to better communicate with you.

Petopix dog talking buttons 

communication buttons with upgraded sound quality

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‌Reviews:

Our newest addition, an 18-month Australian Shepherd Mix that we just inherited, is NUTS about these buttons. She obsesses over them. She whines if I put them out of reach. This is a great tool.

review by Gillian Brown

The buttons work well and are easy for my dogs to touch. The sound is great. Very sturdy (buttons don’t move around- can’t get knocked out of place.)

Customer service is amazing. Support reached out to me personally to see how things were going and if I needed any help. They even have an offer in the box where you can get a second one for just the cost of shipping.

review by Lauren H.

FYI: comprehensive questions to give you additional information

1.  Do the dog talking communication buttons really work?

Well, the science is still out on this one— it's a neat trick you can teach your pup. If you want to give Spot another way to communicate his needs with you, you can certainly teach your dog to "talk" using word buttons.

2.  How do you get your dog to talk on buttons?

Introduce the Buttons

Starting with one or two buttons, introduce the buttons when you talk to your pup. Verbally say the cue words, and push the buttons repetitively every time your dog does the activity. Here are some examples of instances to get started: play, walk, park, eat, water, treat, bed, potty, outside

3. What colors are dogs blind to?

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Dogs' eyes only have two cones. This means that not only can they not perceive the colors red or green, but they can't perceive shades containing either of those colors, such as pink, purple, and orange

4. How many words can you teach a dog?

As for language, the average dog can learn 165 words, including signals, and the “super dogs” (those in the top 20 percent of dog intelligence) can learn 250 words.

5. Can dog see TV?

Dogs absolutely can see TV, and many seem to enjoy it. There are several features of television shows that dogs find attractive. Some of these are visual, such as motion, while others relate to the sounds coming from the TV. Dog eyes are very different from human eyes, so they see things on TV differently

6. Can dogs communicate with each other?

dogs can communicate with you and other dogs

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Have you ever been at a dog park or on a walk with your pup and wondered, “Can they communicate with others dogs?” Turns out dogs do have the language they use to talk to each other! Like us, dogs use their body language and other actions to send signs to fellow dogs.

7. What is the best way to communicate with my dog?

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The best way to communicate with your dog is through training. Training not only gives your dog a way to understand what you want, but it also strengthens the bond between you and your pup. When you take the time to train your dog, you are showing him that you are invested in him and that you want to be able to communicate effectively.

8. How can I get my dog to listen to me?

There are a few things you can do to get your dog to listen to you:

- Use positive reinforcement, such as treats or praise, when your dog does what you ask.

- Be consistent with your commands. If you use different words for the same thing, it will be confusing for your dog.

- Make sure you have your dog's attention before giving a command. You can do this by calling his name or using a clicker.

- Keep your commands short and simple. Dogs have a short attention span, so long or complicated commands will only confuse them.

- Be patient. It takes time for dogs to learn commands. If you get frustrated, your dog will sense it and he will also become frustrated. ***

9. How can I teach my dog to talk with buttons?

The puppy can do anything from showing sanity to babysitting kittens to being able to sit on the couch and eat fatty food. Several dog owners have taught their pets to talk with buttons instead of the typical sounds of words. To find out more about this process, Newsweek consulted with two owners who use buttons to talk with animals.

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10.Do dog-talking buttons work?

What if the dogs pressed the buttons to talk? It seems like science is still out on the subject. Spot, is a dog that can talk to anyone by clicking word buttons on the menu bar.

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Forbes, an owner of a one-year-old German shepherd named Luna, said that the key to teaching a dog to talk using buttons is "positive reinforcement." She explained that every time Luna hears the recording of her voice on the button, she gets excited and knows that she did something good.

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"I started by holding the button up to her nose so she could smell it, and then I slowly moved it away from her face while saying 'speak,'" Forbes said. "I would press the button when she made a noise, and eventually she started to associate the sound of my voice with the action of pressing the button."

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Luna is now able to "speak" on command, and her favorite thing to say is "I love you."

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Forbes said that the key to success is patience and consistency. "It takes a lot of repetition and positive reinforcement for a dog to learn any new trick, let alone talking with buttons," she said. "But it's possible with the right amount of patience and effort."

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Hannah Shaw, an owner of a four-year-old terrier mix named Tyson, said that she taught him to talk using a button after he underwent surgery to remove his vocal cords.

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"I started by holding the button up to his nose so he could smell it, and then I slowly moved it away from his face while saying 'speak,'" Shaw said. "I would press the button when he made a noise, and eventually he started to associate the sound of my voice with the action of pressing the button."

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Tyson is now able to "speak" on command, and his favorite thing to say is "I love you."

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Shaw said that the key to success is patience and consistency. "It takes a lot of repetition and positive reinforcement for a dog to learn any new trick, let alone talking with buttons," she said. "But it's possible with the right amount of patience and effort."

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