Three Reasons to Teach Your Dog How to Talk, and Three Reasons Not to

There’s a current trend going around where people are teaching their dogs to talk using pre-recorded buttons. I will admit, I jumped on this bandwagon right away. My six-year-old Goldendoodle now has over a dozen buttons spanning the whole hallway. She adores her buttons, but I have mixed feelings. Here are a few pros and cons about teaching your dogs words, for all those currently considering communicating with their clever canine companions.

Pro #1: Your furry friend can talk to you! Haven’t you always wanted to be able to communicate with your canine best friend? Well, now you actually can. Your dog can tell you when she wants to play when she wants to go for a walk, when she needs a treat, and when she needs a little attention from you. Getting to know your dog's desires will help you two learn more about each other and become even closer friends.

Pro #2: Your friends will be impressed. Not everyone has a talking dog. Certainly, you will be the talk of your friend group if your canine can ask for walks, demand treats, and answer your questions. People will flock to your house to see your dog in action, and everyone will be begging you for advice as they try to teach their own dogs to talk.

Pro #3: You will become a better pet owner. Sometimes it's hard to know what our dogs need at any given time. They could be nudging your arm while you’re working because they have to pee, they want attention, or you forgot to feed them breakfast. By giving your dog the ability to communicate their needs to you directly, you can ensure that all their needs are met and you no longer have to guess what they are trying to ask you to do.

Con #1: Your furry friend can talk to you! What have you done! You got a dog so you would have a quiet, peaceful companion as a break from human conversation and the demanding needs of your social life. You’re an introvert, you didn’t want to be in conversations all day long. But now, you can never escape it!

Con #2: You have essentially created a fluffy toddler. For so long, you were proud of your life decisions. Your friends are becoming moms and dads, but you’re happy to remain only a pet parent- no screaming temper tantrums. No arguments. Just quiet companionship. Only now, your dog can spew out demands like a little three-year-old child. You say you have work to do, they say “play”. You say they need to go on a diet, they say “treat.” You say bedtime, they say “no”. You now feel the struggle that all of your friends faced as they became new parents, but your situation is worse because your furry child will never grow out of this stage.

Con #3: You're no longer in control. Did you think you were the boss here? Think again. Now that your dog has words to use on you, you are the one being trained. Soon you will find that every day at noon, you are going for a walk at your dog’s command. And after every walk, a refreshing treat. You thought you could spend Saturday morning relaxing? Think again, it’s play time.

Ultimately, the decision to teach your dog how to talk remains in your hands. I think it is a great way to give your dog the opportunity to request certain activities or express needs, especially if you have a hard time figuring out what your dog wants without the assistance of words. If you want to try to keep the button use from getting out of control, you could make the buttons available only at certain times, or quickly establish delayed gratification in the form of the “later” word to signal that you will meet their demands at a later time. However, this concept takes some patience and dedication to teach, so be patient with your furry friend and be prepared for a lot of demands in the early days of button talk!