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Friday, April 23, 2021 11:52 AM UTC
The Internet has recently been flooded with a wealth of videos of dogs Stella and Bunny pressing buttons on boards that then play back pre-recorded words like “outside” and “play”. Better yet, the dogs seem to make sentences by pressing a series of buttons – “Dad play”, for example. For some, these clips have been seen as proof that with a little training, any dog can hold a “conversation” with its owner.
It’s an intriguing idea, but what does science say?
“Bunny the dog can talk!” (Localish)
Researchers have long sought to communicate with animals, the most well-known examples being the chimpanzee Washoe, the gorilla Koko, the bonobo Kanzi and the parrot Alex. The results have been convincing, so it’s not impossible that Stella and Bunny really are using the word boards to communicate with their owners.
The Internet has recently been flooded with a wealth of videos of dogs Stella and Bunny pressing buttons on boards that then play back pre-recorded words like “outside” and “play”. Better yet, the dogs seem to make sentences by pressing a series of buttons – “Dad play”, for example. For some, these clips have been seen as proof that with a little training, any dog can hold a “conversation” with its owner.
It’s an intriguing idea, but what does science say?
“Bunny the dog can talk!” (Localish)
Researchers have long sought to communicate with animals, the most well-known examples being the chimpanzee Washoe, the gorilla Koko, the bonobo Kanzi and the parrot Alex. The results have been convincing, so it’s not impossible that Stella and Bunny really are using the word boards to communicate with their owners.