I Am Bunny: How a Talking Dog Taught Me Everything I Need to Know About Being Human

by Alexis Devine

Social media stars Alexis Devine and Bunny deliver a memoir loaded with wit and passion for animals, as well as the vulnerability and authenticity of a woman who learned to take care of herself by learning to talk to her dog When Bunny, a fluffy, black-and-white sheepadoodle, was eight weeks old, her guardian Alexis presented her with an odd a button programed to say “outside” when pressed. Within a few weeks, Bunny was using it all the time and Alexis, encouraged by Bunny’s progress, continued to introduce more buttons and more words . . . Three years later, Bunny can now communicate using over one hundred buttons, stringing together important, relatable, philosophical phrases such as “Love you Mom,” “Dad went poop,” and “Ugh why?” In I Am Bunny , a memoir in essays and beautiful, full-color photographs, Alexis chronicles not only how Bunny learned to “talk,” but also the profound impact their journey has had on her life. Caring for Bunny has revealed to Alexis a path to self-acceptance, if not complete self-love, and as their relationship developed and their ability to communicate deepened, Alexis was able to reflect on and reframe her past traumas in a newly vulnerable and healing way. Helping Bunny through her fear and reactivity allowed Alexis to examine these qualities in herself, and as she created a safe space for Bunny, she too found space for her own healing. Through charming anecdotes about day-to-day life with Bunny, explorations into prior animal language studies, and plenty of irreverent humor, daring, and heart, Alexis tells the story of how she and Bunny have become so inspiringly close, and explores the ancient and unique bond between dog and guardian that so many of us know leads to a deeper, more meaningful life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Animals, Dogs, Audiobook, Mental Health, Biography

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

Reviews

[Janine Lazur · Rating 5 out of 5]

preliminary: just arrived on my kindle, already 5 starring it

The avante garde, kind of surreal human in various bunny masks/hoods used in pics throughout are like nothing I’d have expected but so so right. If you’ve been following Bunny on instagram and have also seen curious things like mannequins in interesting clothes (Alexis’ job), in the background, how she approached the photos will tickle you.

The one chapter I have read so far, “The Secret”, so cool! I won’t reveal it, but again, if you’ve been following on Instagram, you know about the boardwalk that gets from the homes to the beach. I felt for the term gauntlet having had a reactive dog myself. And the secret that’s the solution, magical and not anything you’d ever predict.

I was also happy that we get right into buttons early on, not a life story before we get to the part that captivated the world. And many chapters on pioneers in animal communication, most of whom I’ve heard of but look forward to reading about. Their chapter start with cute black and white illustrations that remind me of the Harry Potter books.

I might add that I started following Bunny pretty early on and eventually started buttons with my dog Twiggy. She’s up to 116 buttons and this has become my full blown hobby and the brightest and most interesting thing that goes on most every day since it took off with her. It’s a gift and a privilege to have an animal crossover to our way of communicating and I truly have Alexis and Bunny to thank (along with Christina Hunger and Stella) for sharing what they discovered so generously on social media, and now, both of them with books too.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad I read this book. I’ve been following Bunny’s journey on TikTok for a while. I enjoyed all of the anecdotes, but I didn’t feel like there were too many that I hadn’t already known from social media. I also enjoyed (probably the wrong word) the intermittent insertions about animals that had previously been involved in communication experiments, but again, I felt that most were familiar. Overall, so glad for Bunny and the whole family that their oh so special story is permanently documented and can be honored.

[Yuval Ben-Hayun]

Not rating because it is impossible for me to give an unbiased review of this lol

[Julianne Finnerty · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75-3 ⭐️ I have watched Bunny’s story online since the beginning of her journey with buttons, so I was very eager to hear about her and her human Alexis’ book. However, I finished the book disappointed and felt like there wasn’t much for me, as a dog owner to take away when I don’t use buttons or other in-depth means to communicate with my pup. In a way, I left this book feeling guilty in a way for not having the time or means to unlock this level of communication with my dog. However, I was able to take away some tidbits of information on how to attempt to understand my dog, Phoebe through her nonverbal communication or cues. I thoroughly enjoyed the uplifting and humorous anecdotes of Alexis and Bunny, but didn’t see the purpose or tie in of the stories of previous animal communication studies. Overall, I can’t say I personally enjoyed this book, but I would certainly recommend it to a certain population of people who are looking for something dog or animal communication-focused.

[Katie Gawron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Bunny from the first time I saw her using her buttons on the internet, but I can say that I love her even more now. Alexis is a great human being. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike other readers here, I had never heard of Bunny until I picked up this book. As a dog lover, the idea of a “talking” dog piqued my interest, and I thought I’d give it a try.

The story is amazing! The authors writing style is honest and fun, and the photos throughout are unlike any I’ve seen in other dog-themed books I’ve read.

If you love dogs, or are interested in dogs in any way at all, read this book. You’ll be glad you did.

[John Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intelligent, educational, fun, and interspersed with fantastic photographs. This book offers a deeper insight into the story of Bunny and her best human friend, Alexis, as well as a history of animal cognition and communication. Alexis make herself vulnerable and shares details of her life that help inform her relationship to Bunny.

[Sch · Rating 2 out of 5]

My biggest critique of the book is that the writing was too informal for me, with too much unnecessary slang and cliches. I also felt some of the chapters were tangential to the main story and I ended up skimming several sections which I found uninteresting. The structure might have been clearer if told in chronological order, because as it was I became confused on how certain antidotes really fit into the story. Not that everything needed to strictly connect, but when I found sections personally boring, I at least wanted to understand their relevance within the story. Similarly, although the photographs throughout the book were beautiful and showed a glimpse of Devine's creativity, they did not add much to the story beyond that. For example, when she described the beach and trails where they live, I wanted to see those places, but instead only saw more highly staged photos.

I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first half, mostly because I gained a better understanding of Bunny's character, which allowed me to feel more connected to her story. In the beginning of the book, I felt disconnected from Bunny, so I was glad to see her personality shine in later chapters. I also liked the second half because I could see the connections between Bunny and Devine's personalities and I felt that was really the point of the book. Earlier on I felt there was too much happening - childhood stories, biographies of other scientists, a crash course on classical conditioning - and really what I enjoyed most was seeing the connection between a human and a dog.

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off really great, and seemed so promising. However around the halfway mark it just felt a little too long. I was hoping more for funny/sweet/surprising anecdotes about talking with Bunny than the philosophical writing about mental health struggles and the history of animal communication research. I’d say it was only about 30% anecdotes of Bunny and 70% info dump. While it was well written and informative, it was just not what I was hoping for or wanted out of the book, and was a let down for me.

[Emily Gaul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one…. And now I’m convinced I need a puppy companion. This research is so fascinating to me. Go Bunny!

[Sai Fighter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got 39 pages in and just didn't care. My library loan laps and I have no desire to put in another loan for it.

[Annie McCarry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A neurodivergent dog nerds dream book

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciate Alexis Devine for advocating for AAC, one shouldn't have to bring up Stephen Hawking to validate AAC, but I'll keep that in mind if I ever need to. I originally found Bunny and Alexis because I was reading about how some of the pet buttons were cheaper alternatives than the ones intended for humans. I loved how she talked about animal language and communication. Years ago I had what I referred to as a "heartbreak case" and the mother was (in my opinion) too focused on her daughter talking rather than communicating; I tried encouraging PECS, a more robust sign vocabulary, or AAC, but not much came of it.
I also appreciate Devine's usage of the word guardian rather than owner or pet parent, she talks about the animals she encounters with respect.
Many of the studies she had mentioned I had already known about, but I liked hearing about them again and a refresher was in order anyway.

[Angela Obeso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this audiobook! I laughed out loud, I cried both happy and sad tears, I got upset (about things she learned during her research about previous animal communication studies), and I felt inspired. Alexis really shares herself in this book, which makes me understand her connections and reasons for teaching Bunny to use the buttons. This makes me look differently at how I communicate with my own dog and ways we can better connect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who shares their life with nonhuman creatures.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great read with insightful thoughts on inter-species communication. Empathy is at the core of this book and I enjoyed learning more about Alexis and Bunny's story. The chapters read a bit more like individual short stories so I didn't totally 'get into' this book and read it quite slow but still recommend.

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Not too long, interesting and inspiring. It makes me feel guilty about leaving my dogs too much. Animals are so amazing and I have a feeling that humans are no more the center of the universe than Earth is.

[Daniela Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might be one of my favorite books this year! Alexis explores what it means to communicate. Her journey with bunny is relatable on so many levels. Even if you don’t own a dog or have a desire to teach your pet to use talking buttons, I would recommend you read this book. I will admit that it was at first strange to realize that I was understanding and relating to the emotions bunny was conveying. But it’s less strange when you realize we are all living beings with frustrations, a capacity to love and want, and a need to be heard. Thanks Alexis

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having followed Alexis’ and Bunny’s communication journey on Instagram and having trained our own dog to do the same, this was an overall interesting read. I enjoyed the anecdotes that were included as well as the informational portions that went into greater detail about animal behavior and language. The included summaries of past language/communication studies were also fascinating to read about.

[Oliwia Bielecka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nie spodziewałam się, że będzie taka dobra. A to, że audiobook czyta autorka to już wisienka na torcie

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book resonated with me so much. I understood it on a deeper level. We all communicate with our pets but this person takes it to another level. It is a great book and I recommend reading it

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first saw bunny on tik tok and was amazed at how she was trained to use the buttons. When I saw the book had came out and that the author was the voice on the audio I was thrilled. I enjoyed the book but I don’t think it was truly all that I expected it to be about.

[Patrycja Karnik (lovanguages) · Rating 2 out of 5]

To me it felt like Bunny was just an excuse for the author to blabber on about herself. I really don’t care what her neighbourhood is like, what her struggle with autism and eating disorder felt like or how she met her partner or what they do on their trips. If I had known this was a biography of some lady I have never heard of I would have never picked up this book. I swear, maybe 35% is really about her communication with Bunny, the rest is just filler.

[Stefanie Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful exploration of what it means to learn and listen to our pets. I learned a lot of little interesting tidbits and celebrated the encouragement of what it means to really connect with your pet. I appreciate that the way Alexis writes is the way she speaks, it feels so much more personable. It's a fantastic piece on why the pets we love so much deserve to have us at least try to understand them.

[Danyel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun listen hearing about Alexis' journey with Bunny.

[Shayna Grieshaber · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can thank the META algorithm for my decision to pick up I Am Bunny. In the summer of 2023, we decided that our house was a tad too quiet and decided to start looking for a dog. We shortly thereafter adopted Freyja, a sweet and eager-to-learn border collie pup. With a lot of free time and a whip-smart pup, I started looking into different apps and watching reels on Instagram regarding training tips which is when I saw the Fluent Pet ad and subsequently, Bunny's IG page along with a host of others. Alexis, Bunny's owner, shared that she had just written a book so I was interested to see what she had to share regarding training your dog to use buttons and AIC (augmentative interspecies communication) but what I gained was a tremendous amount more.

The book wasn't so much about "do this" or "do that" but delved into her background, her struggles, and how Bunny helped her to learn more about herself because Bunny seemed to struggle with life's obstacles just as she did/does. Bunny is a reactive dog and stresses easily around strangers, both human and animal and one of the coolest parts of the book was when Alexis decided to medicate Bunny for her anxiety. Like most pet owners, she attempted to sneak her meds into pill pockets, meat, peanut butter, etc...but every time Bunny would spit it out or flat-out refuse it. When she decided to be honest with Bunny and show her that she was giving her medicine for "all done concerned" or "all done sick" Bunny began to accept the offering. A month or so went by and Alexis noticed that Bunny was more at ease and settled quicker. One morning Bunny walked to her buttons and pressed, "medicine" which Alexis had forgotten about that day. This proves that dogs are not only smart but capable of being reasoned with and as Bunny modeled, even able to advocate for themselves.

I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a better relationship with their pet (dog, cat, bird, whatever) regardless of whether you want to use talking buttons or not.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that the first half of the book was a disappointment to me. My expectations were different than the author but so glad I finished the book. All of the photos seemed off to me and while I like quirky, the clothing, makeup and settings didn’t and still don’t seem to fit when I wanted to see and hear more about Bunny. The more I read, I was able to hear more about Bunny which pleased me sooooo much. Also, in spite of the photos of the author, I found her to be an extraordinary woman. Not only intelligent and her own person, but a sincere dog lover that strives to understand animal communication. She has a host of specialists at UCSD and other impressive places that advise her endeavors. Bunny appears on Instagram as a sweet and intelligent dog but with a tendency to worry. What I learned is that like many humans, Bunny is complex. Extremely complex. If you love dogs, please read. If you are a skeptic, please read and open your mind. Bravo to Alexis.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. All but impossible to read as an ebook because the pictures won't display, which messes with the text reflow. I got through 26% of the book zooming in and out before and after every photo (and there's a TON) to try and catch all the text, and it's just not worth the frustration. Do yourself a favor and read a hard copy instead. There are a few funny or thought provoking anecdotes, and Alexis discusses more the psychological side of animal communication than simply how she got Bunny using buttons. The format was the bigger problem for me than the content.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Bunny the autistic dog, no wonder he’s smarter than other dogs. I love Bunny.

[Sally Felt]

I’m not a dog person, but even I have watched videos of Bunny the sheepadoodle using word buttons to communicate. So, what the heck, sure, I’ll read about her.

This isn’t quite Alexis Devine’s memoir, though she shares a few details of her personal life, including struggles with anxiety and eating disorders. It certainly isn’t a “how to train your dog” manual. And I struggle to imagine what the book proposal, if there was one, might have said. The book seems unfocused.

I liked that the author was clear about not being an expert in dog training or psychology, and that while she sought out and welcomed advice from actual experts, her primary goal has always been to explore connection and communication with her beloved pet. She made it an entirely voluntary experience for Bunny.

Throughout the book, there are historical sidebars about other such explorations — Koko the Gorilla, Clever Hans, Alex the Gray and so on — and few of those stories paint humans in a particularly flattering light. Devine observes that we rip animals out of their natural environment and culture and try to teach them to talk to us instead of getting curious about what *their* experience is like.

Bunny is a domesticated animal, so questions about “natural environment” are fuzzy. But on the issue of forcing our language on them, I question whether Devine is doing anything different. But again, she keeps it voluntary, which is decidedly not a part of most other stories.

Bunny comes across as every bit as neurotic as her owner, a supremely sensitive and temperamental animal. I’m glad I don’t live with her. But after witnessing this author wrestle with ethical and philosophical questions, trying to really understand her dog’s inner experience, I have to agree that Bunny seems to be self aware, and that raises questions about how we treat animals, be they wild animals, our pets, or the livestock we raise for food.

I just think the book would have been more effective with a better-defined focus.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read! I've followed Bunny on Tiktok for years and loved to see how she progressed in her language skills. Part memoir and part science explanations: this book is very much up my alley. As a Communication major and someone who grew up enthralled with Koko the gorilla, I'm always down to learn about human/animal connections. I loved hearing about other, lesser known animal communication studies and their problems/successes. It's crazy to think that there are so many different species that are smart enough to understand speech and symbols, but so few experiments in recent years. With the increase in people training their pets to use the word buttons, I wonder if there will be more formal trials.

I love Alexis' approach to her pets: she gives Bunny the opportunities to communicate her thoughts to give her the best life possible. Bunny is so sensitive, and having her be able to tell you exactly what she's upset about is astounding. It's Alexis receiving info from Bunny. When you think of dogs that understand words, you usually think of the person giving orders to the dog, rather than the person listening to the dog. Alexis' patience and dedication is unmatched. She makes herself available to listen to Bunny. Listening is important in any relationship, and animals always seem to highlight that the most. They are already communicating with us, but we need to take time to listen to their language.

Right now, Thea is actively scratching at my bookcase to get my attention because it's time for her night snack (she still has some of her dinner left). She has been meowing quietly while I write this, then started pacing around, and since I didn't listen to that, she kicked it up a notch and is trying to make her message clearer. Ironic that I'm writing about how I admire Alexis' for listening to Bunny, and here I am taking an extra 15 minutes on my computer and ignoring Thea as she is so clearly withering away. Oh, how she would love to have buttons so she could tell me "mad" and "snack" right now.