When I started training my Cane Corso puppy to use talking buttons, I had no idea I was also hiring a CEO.
This was never about teaching tricks. I wanted a deeper connection—a real dialogue. Something more like collaboration than obedience. But somewhere along the way, that collaboration turned into a very real power shift. I now live in a house where the boss is 101 pounds, has four white paws, and communicates with a clarity that leaves little room for negotiation.
And that boss? Her name is TuxnDog.
Could she understand that words represent concepts, timing, even intention? I had my doubts she could take dog communications to that level and honestly—I thought I’d be steering the ship.
But Cane Corsos don’t exactly do “halfway.” If you give them a tool, they’ll find a way to use it fully. And if you give them a system for communication, they’ll teach you how to listen. And fast.
This started as a scientific experiment. It became a mental chess match. Then, a full-blown endurance event. If I’m not filming, editing, or responding to comments, I’m racing to stay ahead of her latest button-based demands. She’s not just pressing for food or walks—she’s managing the household energy. If something’s out of alignment, she lets me know. If I’m distracted, she insists I return to the present moment. And if I think I’m done for the day? She reminds me that her creative ideas haven’t all been explored yet.
Some days she’s the producer. Other days she’s the director. Every day, she’s the star.
Her personality has taken full form through this system. She’s assertive, expressive, hilariously sassy, and deeply aware of her environment. She’s also incredibly polite—for a bulldozer. A velvet one. One moment she’s gently waiting, head tilted, making soft eye contact that says, “I’m ready when you are.” The next, she’s pounding buttons in full conversations regarding her immediate needs or wants.
There are no scripts here. No voiceovers. Just real, spontaneous interaction captured in real time. And it’s taught me more than any training manual ever could.
I’ve learned that intelligence isn’t just about following commands. It’s about initiating action. Observing. Repeating patterns that work. Adapting those that don’t. That’s what she does—over and over—and with a level of precision that still surprises me.
So yes, it’s a science experiment. Yes, it’s a form of physical endurance for me trying to keep up with her. But more than anything, it’s an emotional journey. One that keeps evolving. One that forces me to ask hard questions about agency, hierarchy, and the line between service and love.
Did I ruin my life teaching my dog to talk?
Possibly. I’ll get back to you on that.
But one thing’s for sure: I didn’t just train my dog. I met her. And she met me head-on. And neither of us will ever be the same.
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© TuxnDog
Funny dog speaks English on buttons.
AKC-featured. Scientifically studied. Emotionally undeniable.