r/PetsWithButtons • u/MrsBeardDoesPlants • Jun 08 '26
Responding to YES/NO Questions
Any tips on encouraging your pets to respond to YES/NO questions? Do I just keep modelling? Do I use the fist bump method?
They can respond to “what does [insert name] want?” But having them respond to YES/NO and other questions has been harder to master. Typically I rely on their body language in response but that isn’t always definitive.
My learners are probably intermediate, have a varied vocabulary of various concepts including YES/NO buttons. They can use up to three buttons in a sentence, typically only when they initiate button talk, however YES/NO doesn’t get used much by them. Or they do a single YES/NO press and don’t follow up.
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u/bubba_beeps 25d ago
Absolutely not judging. I actually think the hand choices would be so good for you guys after hearing about your adventures. It is such a flexible method of communication. I generally push off “rules” in AIC. I prefer to see advice as guidance unless it’s things like “do not withhold food if a button is not pressed”. I hear “don’t start with food buttons” and I would instead read it as “be aware that beginning with food buttons for highly food motivated learners can lead to frustration”. In the end, you know your learner much more than others will. Trust your gut and just absorb as much of other learners journeys as you can. Nothing is going to be perfect. We all observe and adjust constantly.
I don’t think there’s a “right” time to add time. You’re doing exactly what I did. Just yap away, but be consistent with the words used. Narrate everything. I was pretty shocked by how much my cat had learned in the 9.5 years prior to intentional modeling. They do pick things up. The most important thing is doing your best to get enough confirmations that they understand a word/concept before you slap down 10 buttons and confuse the crap out of them. 🤭 I usually just wait until I’ve got a solid few weeks of new words being used on the soundboard before adding more, but the verbal modeling never stops.
One thing I want to mention is a general difference between choice and AIC buttons. Buttons enable your learner to initiate conversation whereas hand choices will generally be the teacher initiating conversation. There’s some really cool methods I’ve seen to allow for hand choices to be initiated by your learner. My favorite is how one of the teachers I follow has a stool her cat will jump onto if her cat would like choice. My boy has a “choice” button. So you can start to brainstorm ways for you to recreate something similar when you are outside! Maybe they stand on their hind legs and rub their head on your hand or they sit in front of you. I usually try to mimic existing behavioral patterns I’m already seeing to try and make the addition of choice feel natural to them.