Dec 21, 2023 10:23 PM
(This post was last modified: Dec 21, 2023 10:24 PM by C C.)
https://theconversation.com/do-dog-talki...ays-219807
EXCERPTS: : Is your dog bothered by something but you can’t work out what? Do you wish they could tell you?
There’s a huge range of dog “talking” buttons on the market that now claim to let your dog do this. A very basic kit will set you back about $15, while more sophisticated ones can cost hundreds of dollars.
But is there any evidence these products work?
The idea behind these buttons is simple. You record yourself speaking a word such as “treat” or “outside” into each button, after which the word is played back each time the button is pressed. Your dog can supposedly be trained to understand the words coming from the buttons, and use them to communicate with you.
[...] A dog could figure out to press talking buttons through a process called operant conditioning – the same process used to teach dogs simple commands such as “sit”. When a dog performs a behaviour and receives something they want, such as a treat, they’re more likely to continue that behaviour.
[...] Data collection started in late 2020, but so far no evidence has been published. Until then, the best “evidence” we have for these products is anecdotal reporting coming from dog owners who are probably biased (since they’d like to think their dog is very clever).
[...] If you can recognise and account for the potential risks mentioned above, then buying talking buttons won’t do any harm to you or your dog (apart from putting a dent in your wallet). That said, there are myriad ways to communicate with your dog without needing such a device... (MORE - missing details)
Meet Bunny the talking dog! She communicates with buttons. https://youtu.be/z8k2upr9vCE
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/z8k2upr9vCE
EXCERPTS: : Is your dog bothered by something but you can’t work out what? Do you wish they could tell you?
There’s a huge range of dog “talking” buttons on the market that now claim to let your dog do this. A very basic kit will set you back about $15, while more sophisticated ones can cost hundreds of dollars.
But is there any evidence these products work?
The idea behind these buttons is simple. You record yourself speaking a word such as “treat” or “outside” into each button, after which the word is played back each time the button is pressed. Your dog can supposedly be trained to understand the words coming from the buttons, and use them to communicate with you.
[...] A dog could figure out to press talking buttons through a process called operant conditioning – the same process used to teach dogs simple commands such as “sit”. When a dog performs a behaviour and receives something they want, such as a treat, they’re more likely to continue that behaviour.
[...] Data collection started in late 2020, but so far no evidence has been published. Until then, the best “evidence” we have for these products is anecdotal reporting coming from dog owners who are probably biased (since they’d like to think their dog is very clever).
[...] If you can recognise and account for the potential risks mentioned above, then buying talking buttons won’t do any harm to you or your dog (apart from putting a dent in your wallet). That said, there are myriad ways to communicate with your dog without needing such a device... (MORE - missing details)
Meet Bunny the talking dog! She communicates with buttons. https://youtu.be/z8k2upr9vCE
