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Understanding your dog's wants and needs can be a tough order, but there's a lot you can learn if you set them up with the best dog talking buttons. These dog buttons originate from pressable augmentative communication buttons, which speech-language pathologists have long used to communicate with nonverbal people. Speech therapist Christina Hunger discovered the buttons work with animals when she used them to "speak" with her dog Stella.
We interviewed a veterinary behaviorist and a professional dog trainer to find out what to look for in the best dog buttons and how to use them with our pets. Our top pick is the Fluent Pet Get Started Kit, which is completely customizable and easy to set up. It also comes with a nonslip tile to keep the buttons organized.
Like the best dog toys, dog buttons provide enrichment and an outlet for play. If you want to teach your dog to "talk," you can start with a beginner's set of four to six buttons or go all out with a fully customizable set. Whichever set you choose, they can help you bond with your dog and communicate with them in a new, exciting way.
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Our top picks for the best dog talking buttons
Best overall: Fluent Pet Get Started Kit - See at Fluent Pet
Fluent Pet's Get Started Kit has six buttons and three nonslip tiles for organizing words and actions.
Best budget: Hunger for Words Talking Pet Starter Set - See at Amazon
This affordable set was designed by the famous speech pathologist who taught her dog Stella to "talk."
Best customizable: Talking Products Talking Tiles - See at Amazon
Each of the six buttons in this set is fully customizable and has a removable transparent cover.
Best light-up: Decdeal Recordable Talking Button With LED Function - See at Amazon
Decdeal LED recordable buttons simultaneously play sound and light up each time you press them.
Best potty: Mighty Paw Smart Bell 2.0 - See at Chewy
The Mighty Paw Smart Bell 2.0 works indoors or outside so your dog can tell when they need to potty or want to come inside.
Best training program: Talk to the Beans - See at Talk to the Beans
This training program teaches guardians how to use buttons to communicate with their pets.