Being cooped up, not able to get out to our favorite places, a disconcerting change in routine … the nationwide closures caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is taking a toll on many of us, even, it seems, renowned “talking dog,” Stella.

And as usual, the pup is putting her feelings into words.

As her time outside has been curtailed because of stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 concerns, Stella has been using her soundboard to convey how much she is missing some of her favorite places like beaches and parks, communicating such phrases as:

“Where where where where park?”

“Help beach.”

“Help water play love you.”

“Look park beach want.”

“Park love you.”

Stella’s owner, Christina Hunger, 26, tells PEOPLE that the 2-year-old Catahoula/blue heeler mix had appeared “bummed out” during the first few weeks of the shelter-in-place restrictions in their home state of California.

“At first she was very panicked,” Hunger says. “She would start whining, start pacing around. She was very confused about why she couldn’t go out.”

Hunger, who lives with her fiancé, Jake McConkey, in San Diego, said that while Stella still goes outside for walks, she can no longer romp around the beach and park since those and other public places were closed on March 23.

Stella’s antics have been captivating the world since her story appeared on PEOPLE’s website last November and then went viral.

Stella “speaks” by stepping on buttons that emit words that were pre-recorded by Hunger and McConkey. The buttons are attached to a simple custom soundboard made of plywood and set on the floor.

Hunger, a speech-language pathologist, modeled the soundboard after augmentative and alternative communication devices she employs in her job helping toddlers communicate.

Stella started out learning just one word (“outside”) and is now up to 39 words, which she can combine into phrases to express her thoughts, feelings and even abstract concepts, says Hunger, who is chronicling the adventure on her blog, Hunger for Words and Instagram.

Hunger also is writing a book about her experience and methodology and will update her followers about the publication date. “I’m very excited for it to come out,” she says. “I have so much information to share…there’s so much potential. We’re just getting started.”

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