“Can Dogs Talk?” premieres Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 9 p.m.ET/8 p.m. CT on PBS
The program will also be available for streaming at pbs.org/nova, NOVA on YouTube, and the PBS App
The film explores the social media viral phenomenon of “button dogs” who appear to use recorded sound buttons to communicate, and follows scientists as they try to answer the question of whether “talking” dogs are actually communicating their thoughts and desires with us.
CAN DOGS TALK? opens with Stella, a Catahoula–Blue Heeler mix who became the first viral “button dog,” and her owner, speech therapist Christina Hunger, whose success teaching her dog to “talk” drew the attention of researchers. Are dogs like Stella truly understanding what we’re saying — and talking back? Are they really thinking creatively and applying words in new contexts, or is this just clever conditioning?
The Hollywood Times had the opportunity to speak with Christina Hunger about her beautiful viral “button dog” named Stella. Enjoy our conversation:
To find out, a team of scientists led by Dr. Federico Rossano from University of California San Diego and Dr. Amalia Bastos from Johns Hopkins University, are conducting the largest animal communication study in history, analyzing millions of button presses from thousands of dogs they’ve recruited worldwide. The film captures some astonishing moments that challenge our assumptions about animal intelligence, from dogs that seemingly engage in conversations to those who learn new words with incredible speed, showing just how far their linguistic abilities might stretch.
“Every pet owner has wished they could talk to their dog. This film takes that fantasy and grounds it in very real science,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer Julia Cort. “It’s an emotional and fascinating investigation that will make viewers look at their own furry best friends in a completely new light.”
“For centuries, we’ve wondered what our dogs are really thinking,” said Executive Producer Kirstie McLure. “With unprecedented access to the world’s largest animal communication study, this film explores whether science is finally giving us a way to cross the human–animal communication barrier. What’s emerging is not just a deeper understanding of dogs, but a profound insight into cognition, language, and what it really means to communicate.”
Scientific understanding of dogs’ linguistic capabilities is still in its early days, but the massive amount of data from this study could help expand researchers’ understanding of animal cognition and the nature of the mutual understanding between our species. CAN DOGS TALK? ponders whether our domestication of dogs and their evolution as our closest companions has uniquely positioned them to learn our language. Perhaps the close bond between humans and dogs could become even closer.
What an informative documentary this was and I actually had no idea of dogs talking using buttons until watching this. It was so worth watching and all of you should take the time to watch this documentary on February 4, especially if you are a dog owner.
Her first book is called “How Stella Learned to Talk” and she has a new book out called “Your Dog Can Talk: A Step-by-step guide to button training” which can be found on her website or anywhere you get your books. I can’t wait to get mine. You can also purchase her talking buttons as well on the website. These make great gifts for the dog owners in your life.
https://www.hungerforwords.com/
CAN DOGS TALK? is a production by Big Wave Productions and Idéacom International in association with NOVA/GBH and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio-Canada, and ARTE France. Directed by Olly Bootle. Written by Olly Bootle and Roberto Verdecchia. Executive Producers for Big Wave Productions are Kirstie McLure and Emma Ross. Executive Producer for Idéacom International is Josette D. Normandeau. Executive Producers for NOVA are Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt. NOVA is a production of GBH.
Funding for this program and NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies, Viking Cruises, the NOVA Science Trust, and PBS viewers.
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