How Stella Learned to Talk

Christina Hunger is the author of How Stella Learned to Talk. She is a speech-language pathologist and the creator of the project Hunger for Words. She is known for her groundbreaking work in being the first person to teach a dog to talk using a customized communication device and speech therapy techniques. Hunger has a graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Northern Illinois University and has professional expertise in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She works with young children with significant delays in language development as an early intervention speech therapist. She lives in San Diego with Stella and her fiancé, Jake.

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A speech therapist's memoir of her groundbreaking work in communicating with dogs

“A talented speech therapist who works with children, Christina Hunger trained her puppy to use words in a meaningful way. She was amazed that language learning in her dog was similar to that of a young child. The results speak for themselves. A wonderful book.”  — Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation
“Christina Hunger presents an entertaining and practical guide to embarking on the incredible journey of interspecies communication with her dog. When we are open to the idea that communicating with another species is possible, and provide a language-enriched environment, we create the space for shared language and a deep connection. Christina has provided the key that unlocks this potential for all of us.” — Penny Patterson, PhD, president and research director of The Gorilla Foundation and Project Koko 
“Humans and dogs have been evolving together and forming an extremely unique and special bond for thousands of years. As anyone who’s known and loved a dog will agree the natural ability that dogs have to understand and communicate with us is truly incredible, going much deeper than just wagging tails and happy barks when they hear the word  ‘walk.’ I’m so thrilled that Christina is using her experience as a speech and language therapist to give dogs a way to ‘speak’ with us in a more complex, profound way.” — Zak George, host of Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution
"[A] fascinating study of the untapped potential in human-dog interaction.”  — Booklist
“This delightful book is a joy to read. But it also has an important message for the study of animal languages: When you think outside the box, you can come up with amazing results. Christina’s use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with her dog Stella,  employing techniques that are taught to children, has shown that a dog has the cognitive capability to learn to use buttons as words and to formulate meaningful sentences. She also has very practical advice on how to teach your dog to do the same. I highly recommend this book.” — Con Slobodchikoff, PhD, author of Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals
“A must-read for anyone who ever wished their dog could talk, Stella's story will lift your spirits and inspire your soul. Drawing on her expertise in language development and augmentative communication, speech-language pathologist Christina Hunger takes us on an incredible journey of joy, discovery, and innovation that will forever change the relationship between dogs and their humans.” — Shari Robertson, PhD, CCC-SLP, 2019 president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
“Over a year into the pandemic, your bookshelves may be so crowded with books that you can’t imagine adding another. But a 3-year-old dog named Stella will have you rethinking that.” — Chicago Tribune
"The mixture of memoir and how-to guide strikes an effective balance for this dog mom....If you’ve been thinking about trying to use recordable buttons with your dog, then this book will offer plenty of insights for you." — McSquare Doodles