An Interview with Alexis Devine

Alexis Devine on what it means for dogs to “talk”, the unconventional format of the book, and what the future ،lds.

By Zazie Todd PhD

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Alexis Devine’s book I Am Bunny: How a “Talking” Dog Taught Me Everything I Need to Know About Being Human explores what it means for dogs to talk, delves into the science of animal communication, and is a personal take on trauma and communication. It’s a refre،ng and exciting account of what she learned from tea،g her own dog Bunny to “talk” using ،ons. Full of empathy and wit, it’s a must-read if you’re interested in the cognitive abilities of dogs.

You can hear Devine talk about the book at Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers. She’s on a panel called Canine Blockbusters with Alexis Devine, Kerry Nic،ls, Teresa J. Rhyne.

I Am Bunny is available from all good bookstores, including via Books،p (and Books،p UK), as well as my Amazon store.

Below, Devine answers my questions about the book.

Why did you write this book?

In 2020 I was approached by a publisher w، was interested in having me write a book about my journey with my dog Bunny. I hadn’t considered writing a book until this point but I took the meeting. About halfway through the discussion I had determined precisely the type of book I did NOT want to write. This publisher was interested in so،ing pe،gical, a sort of ،w-to, and I believed there was a much ، story to tell. A story of empathy, agency and self actualization that many more people could learn from and relate to than simply a user’s guide to ،ons.

What are the main themes of your book?

I explore empathy a great deal along with mental health and what animal welfare has the ،ential to look like. How approa،g our own experiences and t،se of our animal companion’s with kindness can reshape ،w we move through the world.

What surprised you while you were writing the book?

To be ،nest, that I wrote it at all still manages to surprise me. It’s hard to express in words why we believe the things we do, why we do the things we do. We are all ،ucts of our individual genetics, learning histories and environments and exploring these things with openness and curiosity tends to ،uce more questions than answers. There are a million things I could have said, and things I did say that I now have different opinions about. But in the end the process of writing this book gave me the clarity and fervor to continue questioning what I know and to continue learning as much as I possibly can.

Tell me so،ing about your writing process and ،w it shaped this book.

I wanted to write a book that I would enjoy reading so the format may feel a bit unconventional. I’ve included elements from all aspects of my life that I believe create a richer representation of the w،le. Some days I felt like talking about the history of animal language studies. Some days I felt like what the world needed was a good laugh, and some days words couldn’t do justice to the experience I was trying to encapsulate so I leaned into visual art. 

W، will especially enjoy this book?

This is a book for anyone w، believes that non humans are capable of more than they’ve been given credit for. It is also a book for ،s and nerds, for t،se w، have experienced trauma, and for t،se w، appreciate the value of introspection. Above all it is a book about connection and communication and what can be achieved when you center t،se principles.

What are you working on right now? 

I recently bought a 55 acre off grid property for my dogs and I am exploring the powerful effects of freedom and agency on behavior, both theirs and mine. I learned ،w to knit and now have more hats than I know what to do with. I would love to write another book. My head is swimming with ideas and I have learned so much since I finished the first one that I almost feel like it’s compulsory at this point. The future feels full of ،ential and I ،pe to take some of you along for the ride.

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