Christina Hunger, a 26-year-old speech-language pathologist from San Diego, California, has made waves by teaching her Catahoula/Blue Heeler mix puppy, Stella, to communicate using a soundboard typically used by children with speech disabilities.
Hunger, inspired by her work with young children who use adaptive communication devices, wondered if dogs could also be taught to express themselves verbally. As per to the source upworthy
Starting with a simple button labeled “outside,” Hunger and her fiancé Jake associated words with actions, pressing the button each time they mentioned or acted upon activities like going outside or eating.
Remarkably, after consistent reinforcement, Stella began stepping on the “outside” button to indicate her desire to go outdoors.
Encouraged by Stella’s progress, Hunger expanded the vocabulary on Stella’s soundboard to include words like “eat,” “water,” “play,” and “love you,” among others.
They adopted a method similar to speech therapy sessions, where Stella learned to communicate her needs and desires by pressing appropriate buttons on the board.
Stella’s communication skills quickly evolved; she now uses over 29 different words and can string together up to five of them to form sentences.
Hunger describes Stella’s use of language as akin to that of a 2-year-old child, demonstrating an impressive ability to convey specific messages and respond to situations.
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The development has not only astonished observers but also deepened the bond between Hunger and Stella, showcasing the potential for enhancing human-dog relationships through improved understanding and communication.
Hunger believes her innovative approach could revolutionize how we perceive and interact with our canine companions, emphasizing that dogs, like humans, deserve to have their voices heard and understood.
As Stella continues to learn and communicate through her soundboard, Hunger hopes her pioneering work will inspire others to explore new ways of connecting with animals and fostering meaningful communication beyond traditional methods.