Do you ever wonder what your dog is thinking? You are not alone. Over the last year, dog talking buttons have taken the pet world by storm. With the push of a button, dogs are now telling their humans what they need, whether that's water, food or to go outside. Some pups have become famous for their impressive vocabulary, inspiring dog owners to pick up a set of buttons. Or in the case of a software engineer for a company, to try and build their own version.
Rutledge says that his dog is the best dog in the world. When he and his wife adopted the first dog for both of them, they noticed he was jittery. He was afraid of everything and would do a lot of barking. I stumbled on all of this because I was forced to learn a lot about positive reinforcement training techniques and desensitization.
After seeing a video of dog-talking buttons that blew his mind, he started to build his own set for Cosmo, the perfect hobby to blend his passions for engineering and animals.
He used a small computer and an electronics prototyping board to make the buttons work. The first model, made from a wooden wine box, had just three buttons: food, water, and outside. There are now seven buttons, with the addition of "ball," "later," "love you" and "scritches."
A wine box and a breadboard were used to create a set of dog talking buttons.
At one point, he set the board up so that he could receive text messages whenever he pressed a button. I have been in meetings where I have to stop my phone from ringing. My dog is playing with me.
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Now that their newest family member has arrived, Rutledge and his wife will add a baby button to the board. It will only be a few months before a baby can push buttons and say things, I think. I think it will be a fun experiment.
He is focused on Cosmo and using the button board to strengthen their bond. It is a powerful way to see your pet. It reminds you that they are capable of profound thought. They are constantly observing their world in a way that we don't usually give them credit for.
He says the process is simple and just for fun. Obviously, Cosmo is a good boy.