Pets have so much to tell us, and this dog showed the world how to communicate with family using a soundboard. The beautiful Australian Shepherd named Flambo uses buttons with words on them to talk to his owners. When Flambo pushes them with his paw, it makes the buttons say the words aloud. This helps the adorable dog communicate his wants, needs and thoughts with his family, an incredible feat!
Flambo’s owner Abba has many fond memories with her beloved Aussie dog. However, she says one of the most memorable ones was the first time he said he loved her using the buttons. Flambo’s ability to communicate with family in this unique way makes their connection even more special.
How Flambo came into Abba’s life
“I got Flambo when I was looking for a new service dog prospect,” Abba says. “My other dog was getting older and it was ready to retire. I found Flambo’s breeder because I’ve known her for 14 years. She breeds fantastic, healthy dogs with great temperament and I knew she would have a dog that would absolutely fit my needs.”
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Little did she know at the time just how much Flambo would change her life! Of course, Australian Shepherds are well-known for their intelligence and training potential. So, the fact that Flambo can communicate with family using the buttons is something you’d expect from this dog breed.
Facts about the Australian Shepherd
According to the American Kennel Club, here are some basic facts about this beautiful dog:
- They are smart, exuberant, and hard-working.
- They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years.
- Australian Shepherds are in the herding group.
- They need a lot of exercise, at least 1-2 hours a day, and a large area to run around in.
- It’s one of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S.
- They actually aren’t Australian. They probably came from the Basque region of Spain, and shepherds from this area took their dogs with them to Australia. From here, they brought them to the U.S., so Americans called them Australian Shepherds.
- Aussies became famous from rodeos, where they helped herd bulls and perform tricks.
Native Americans considered them sacred, nicknaming them “ghost eye” because of their pale, ghostly blue eyes. - They often have two different colored eyes, called heterochromia.
- These shepherds can do a wide variety of jobs due to their intelligence. Common duties include being a Seeing Eye dog, search and rescue dog, or drug sniffing dog. They make wonderful service dogs of any kind as well.
“I knew instantly that he was the right guy for me, and after a few weeks of begging, I was finally able to take Flambo on a test trial and the rest is history,” Abba says.
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“Besides the obvious unconditional love, some of the positive things he brings to my life is laughter. I don’t think there’s an hour in my day that goes by without him making me laugh or smile,” Abba says. “He is goofy, he is funny, he is so happy; and he just keeps you entertained and happy all day long.”
Why dogs make us feel so much better
Pets in general have this incredible ability to brighten our lives and lower our stress levels. Dogs also teach us important qualities such as love, compassion, patience and generosity. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that “pet owners exhibited greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, were less lonely, were more conscientious, were more socially outgoing, and had healthier relationship styles (for example, lower fear and preoccupation levels) than non-owners.”
According to the Dog Parent Study conducted by BarkBox, 71 percent of dog owners believe their pets have made them happier. Almost 80 percent find it easier to get out of bed in the morning thanks to their dogs. Around 93 percent believe their dogs have made them better people!
Some people call dogs the angels of the animal world because of their loyalty and unconditional love. Studies have shown that even spending a few minutes with dogs can boost oxytocin in the brain, the “feel-good” hormone. You may feel this love chemical when dog, which lowers feelings of stress and anxiety. It also boosts empathy, trust and relaxation levels.
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Research published in the journal Science found that just gazing into each other’s eyes caused a huge spike in oxytocin for both dogs and their owners.
“Of the duos that had spent the greatest amount of time looking into each other’s eyes, both male and female dogs experienced a 130 percent rise in oxytocin levels, and both male and female owners a 300 percent increase.”
Dogs have astounding healing benefits for humans, and it seems our furry friends benefit as well! If you have a dog and want to teach it to communicate with family like Flambo does, watch Abba’s video for more tips. You can find the stickers for the buttons on Amazon.
Final thoughts: Dogs can learn to communicate with family in clever ways, such as using buttons like Flambo
Flambo the Australian Shepherd learned to talk with his family using stickers on buttons. Any owners can teach their dogs to do this with a little patience and training! While Australian Shepherds are known for their intelligence, many dog breeds can learn this unique communication technique.
Dogs have so many benefits for humans, including boosting oxytocin levels, lowering stress, and keeping us active! If you have a dog such as a shepherd, you know firsthand how much exercise they need. Dogs just make life better all around, and if they can communicate with family like Flambo, it’s even better!
We hope you enjoyed hearing about Flambo’s story, as well as learning about all the beautiful things dogs bring to our lives. If you have a pet of your own, let us know in the comments if you have taught them to communicate with you! We would love to hear how it’s changed your life.
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