Bunny Talking Dog Buttons: How to Copy Her Setup

Bunny is a sheepadoodle who “talks” by pressing recordable buttons wired to words like “outside” and “play.” Her owner, Alexis Devine, uses a FluentPet soundboard. You can copy the setup at home: start with one button, model it before the matching activity, then add more slowly.

I tried this after falling down the Bunny rabbit hole online. I bought a FluentPet Get Started kit, six buttons and three HexTiles, and recorded one word: “outside.” For two weeks I pressed it before every walk while my dog just watched. Then one rainy Tuesday she pawed it herself.

Who is Bunny, and can your dog do it?

Run this quick check before you spend a cent. It saves weeks of guesswork.

• Bunny has reportedly learned about 92 words on roughly 100 buttons, per her owner.
• She strings short combos like “mad, ouch,” which is what made her go viral on TikTok.
• Your dog needs to already know a few spoken words, like “walk” or “sit.”
• They should be past the heavy chewing stage, usually around 6 months old.
• You need 5 minutes, a few times a day, most days.

Missing most of these? Build simple word habits first, then come back to buttons.

Buttons are not an app, and no phone does this work for you. The training is yours, plus the buttons and lots of repetition. If you want a laugh on the side, Dog & Cat Translator Pro plays bark and meow sounds when you talk or tap. Download it free on iOS 16 or newer, then speak or tap and it answers in pet-like sounds. It is an entertainment toy, not a training tool. See what it does on the features page.

Step 1: Get the button system Bunny uses

Bunny presses FluentPet buttons arranged on hexagon tiles. You do not need her exact gear, but the layout helps.

FluentPet organizes buttons with the Fitzgerald Key, a method built to teach sentence structure to deaf children. Words sit in fixed groups: places, actions, people, and so on. That fixed spot is the whole trick, because your dog learns “outside” by where the button lives, not by reading it. Any recordable sound button works, but a system with fixed positions makes growth easier later.

• Start with one clear word per button, in your normal voice.
• A starter set of six buttons is plenty for the first month.
• Keep each button in one fixed spot so your dog can find it.

When it won't work: a random pile of buttons that move around confuses your dog. Fixed positions matter more than the brand. For a brand-agnostic walkthrough of the gear, mat, and first recording, see our dog talking buttons setup guide.

Step 2: Record your first word and place it

Pick one word tied to something your dog already loves. Skip anything abstract.

Good first words are “outside,” “play,” or “water.” FluentPet suggests avoiding “treat” early on, so your dog doesn't decide every press means food. Record the word in a calm, clear voice, then put the button where the action happens. The “outside” button belongs by the door your dog uses. A “water” button sits near the bowl.

• Great starters: outside, play, walk, water.
• Anchor each button to its action, not a shelf.
• Set it flat on the floor for small or older dogs, so there's no reaching.

When it won't work: pick a word for a rare event, like “beach,” and your dog barely gets to practice. See the AKC's guide to teaching a dog to talk for a longer word list.

Step 3: Model the button before the activity

This is the whole method, and it's exactly what Alexis Devine did with Bunny. You press the button, say the word, then do the thing.

Before you open the door, press “outside,” say “outside,” and walk out together. Do it 3 to 4 times a day, the same way each time. Your dog learns by watching you connect the sound to what happens next. Think of it like narrating to a toddler: repeat, stay consistent, and keep sessions short.

• Press, say the word, then act, in that order.
• Keep everyone in the house using the same word.
• A few short reps beat one long drill.

Want the pure fun version of “talking” while you train? Dog & Cat Translator Pro runs it the other way: you talk, and it plays back dog- and cat-like sounds. It's free on iOS 16 or newer, with an optional subscription of $9.99 a year, and it's rated 5.0 from its first few ratings. It's a toy for a giggle, not a decoder.

Step 4: Add buttons slowly with the Fitzgerald Key

Once your dog presses the first button on purpose, add a second. Resist the urge to buy 30 at once.

FluentPet recommends one button per HexTile at first, then more per tile as your dog's vocabulary grows. Keep the same word groups Bunny's board uses: actions together, places together. When you add “play,” model it just like “outside,” for a week or two, before expecting solo presses. Growth is measured in weeks, not days.

• Add one new word at a time.
• Keep old buttons in their exact spots.
• Model every new word before your dog uses it.

When it won't work: dumping in many buttons at once. Your dog can't map ten new sounds in a weekend.

Step 5: Watch word combos, but read them honestly

Bunny sometimes presses several buttons in a row, like “mad, ouch.” These combos are the reason people call her a talking dog.

Those combos are thrilling to watch. Still, the science isn't settled. Bunny is part of the ongoing They Can Talk study with researchers at UC San Diego, and they are careful not to claim she understands language the way people do. Your dog may press buttons partly by reading your cues or your routine. Enjoy the combos, screenshot them, but hold the sentences loosely.

• Log presses with a date so you can spot real patterns.
• Don't rush to read a story into two random presses.
• Treat it as trained signaling, not proven speech.

Common mistakes with Bunny-style buttons

Even patient owners trip on the same few things. Skip these and progress speeds up.

• Not modeling enough. Your dog needs to see you press, again and again.
• Moving buttons around. Fixed spots are how your dog “reads” them.
• Starting with “treat.” It teaches “press for food,” not real meaning.
• Over-reading combos. Two presses aren't always a sentence.

Curious how buttons fit the bigger picture? Our dog talking buttons guide covers the full method, our guide to training a dog to use talking buttons digs into the mechanics, and you can check whether dog translator apps work at all. To read your dog without any gear, start with how to read dog body language. You can also read more about the team behind these guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What buttons does Bunny the talking dog use?

Bunny uses FluentPet soundboard buttons, arranged on hexagon HexTiles. Each button is recorded with one word, like “outside” or “play.” The tiles follow the Fitzgerald Key, so words stay in fixed groups. Her owner, Alexis Devine, has built the board up to roughly 100 buttons over time.

How many words does Bunny know?

Bunny has reportedly learned about 92 words, on a board of around 100 buttons, according to her owner. She sometimes strings several together into short combos. Scientists at UC San Diego are still studying how much she truly understands, so treat the bigger word counts as impressive but not fully proven.

Can any dog learn talking buttons like Bunny?

Many dogs can learn a few buttons, but not every dog becomes Bunny. Success depends on daily modeling, patience, and starting with words your dog already loves. Begin with one button for “outside” or “play,” press it yourself before the activity, and add more slowly over weeks.

Do talking dog buttons really work, or is it the owner cueing?

Buttons clearly train some dogs to signal for things like going outside. Whether dogs grasp words the way people do is still under study, and dogs may respond partly to your cues or routine. Enjoy the presses as trained communication, and stay cautious about reading full sentences into them.

Is there an app that translates my dog like the buttons do?

No app translates a real bark into words, and buttons are not an app. Dog & Cat Translator Pro is an entertainment toy that plays bark and meow sounds when you talk or tap. It's free on iOS 16 or newer, with an optional $9.99-a-year subscription. It never decodes your dog's actual sounds.