Words & Phrases: Water - How to teach your dog to talk with buttons

Since your dog will stop drinking water once they're full, "Water" might be a better word to introduce before "food." With a food button, your dog might press it obsessively, but a water button will only be pressed when your dog is truly thirsty.

Water: What does this word button mean for my dog?

Much like human children, dogs get a grasp on language by seeing it modeled by those around them, and having the association reinforced. And it's likely some of this association has already taken place.

When your dog's water bowl is empty, you might already be in the habit of saying something along the lines of "let's get you some more water!" before refilling their bowl. If you've done this enough times, it's likely your dog already associates the word with a fresh bowl of water.

When your dog presses the water button, they might be telling you "I'm thirsty," "my water bowl is empty," or "I'd like to have access to my water bowl."

Water: How can my dog use recordable buttons to say this word?

• To start, always press the "water" button yourself every time you fill your pet's bowl, as well as every time they take a drink.
• If you notice your pet hanging out near their empty water bowl, press the button before filling the bowl.
• After a few days, your pet will begin pressing the button on their own. Make sure to always reward a button press with a fresh bowl of water!

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