Uplifting2 min(s) read
Published 16:54 06 Jul 2020 GMT
As a dog lover and a dog owner, I can wholeheartedly say that I like dogs more than people.
They're always happy to see you, they're loyal, and their love is second-to-none. However, the only downside to our canine companions is that they can't voice their love for us... until now.
Meet Bunny, a genius dog who has learned to communicate with her owners with a soundboard - meaning she can now ask to play, go to the park, and even tell her family that she loves them.
And it's not just one-word phrases like "beach" or "park", Bunny has learned to communicate in full sentences. In the video below, the clever Sheepadoodle (best cross-breed name ever), even manages to say "Love you, mom" to her doting owner.
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Bunny was introduced to the specially made communication pad when he arrived at the Devine family home in September 2019. And after some training, Bunny first learned to press down on a specific button when he wanted to go outdoors for a wander or a wee - hitting the button that said "outside".
The soundboard has 45 buttons in total, and according to owner Alexis Devine, Bunny has mastered the system.
The 11-month-old pup can even talk to the family's pet cat, Spooky - shouting "Play, Spooky".
Artist Alexis from Tacoma, Washington said: "The soundboard has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.
"Bunny and I work on engagement, tricks, and obedience to strengthen our bond daily, but this has added so much laughter, joy, and wonder to our lives.
"It's always an adventure, and we are thoroughly enjoying the ride regardless of the destination.
"Bunny currently has 45 words on her board with five of them being new enough that we are still helping her to understand them contextually."
Alexis was keen to introduce the unique method of communicating after seeing the technology being used online by other dog owners - specifically, the speech-language pathologist Christina Hunger and her dog Stella.
Check out this CNN report on Christina and Stella below:
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Christina uses augmentative and alternative communication to help nonverbal people communicate and was one of the first people to use the soundboard with dogs.
Alexis said: "The first sound board that we used was one that I had made after following Christina's guidance on her blog.
"We used that for several months before I connected with Leo Trottier who is a cognitive scientist.
"He was looking for beta testers of a new device and that is the board we are currently using with Bunny."
Just imagine having a whole household of dogs that could do this!
