Bunny the ‘Talking’ Dog Appears to Be Having an Existential Crisis
Bunny the Sheepadoodle is best known for using a board of large buttons that “speak” single words when pressed. Her owner, Alexis Devine, started training her with simple words such as “outside” and “play,” and Bunny now uses a soundboard with dozens of words. Over time, her board grew to nearly a hundred words, and her button presses cover everything from practical needs to expressive phrases.
Millions of TikTok followers watch her daily interactions, in which she asks to go outside, requests food, or simply seeks attention. This unusual form of communication has made Bunny one of the most recognizable dogs online and a surprising figure in discussions of animal cognition.
One of the most striking examples came when Bunny pressed the buttons “paw” and “hurt.” Devine discovered a foxtail lodged in her foot, which was only found because of the button press. She also uses the board to request outdoor time, ask for treats, and call for pets.
These button interactions may seem simple, but they highlight how a trained system can enhance how animals communicate their needs. Rather than being limited to body language or barking, Bunny has a new outlet to convey her point, and it has clearly worked in her favor.
Science Behind the Buttons
Bunny’s story is part of a larger scientific project at the University of California, San Diego. The initiative, called “They Can Talk,” is led by cognitive scientist Federico Rossano. This study has enrolled thousands of dogs and cats using communication boards similar to Bunny’s. Researchers have collected hundreds of thousands of button presses from pets across the program, which provides them with a massive dataset to analyze.
Early findings show that dogs often create intentional two-word combinations. Common examples include phrases like “outside potty” or “food water,” which appear consistently across the study group. These combinations suggest the button presses are not entirely random, but linked to the animal’s needs or environment. The project is also expanding to test whether dogs can reference time, such as past, present, or future, or objects that are not directly in front of them. If confirmed, that would mark a step beyond simple requests and into more advanced communication possibilities.
Rossano and his team are cautious in their interpretations. They recognize that while the data shows non-random use, it does not necessarily prove self-awareness or abstract thought. The comparison to Clever Hans, the horse that seemed to solve math problems but was actually responding to subtle human cues, serves as a reminder that animals may be reacting in ways shaped by training rather than independent reasoning.
Bunny Matters Beyond TikTok
The board has done more than give Bunny a voice; it’s stirred a debate about how far dogs can go in sharing their minds with us. Some people see a breakthrough, a way to glimpse thoughts that usually stay hidden.
Others aren’t convinced. Dogs already have their own language, they argue, and asking them to “talk” like people may do more harm than good. Whatever side you take, Bunny has pushed the conversation forward. She’s turned a curious experiment into a cultural marker that makes people look at their pets with fresh eyes.