punkishness

 

puberty?

    D has become quite sullen and uncooperative, so we, worried parents, looked up teenage dog behavior on the intertube and found this:

    Any parent of teenagers will tell you that raising kids during their adolescent phase is a trying task, what with the know-it-all attitude, the uncanny ability to ignore anything that resembles a request, and the sudden urge to be anywhere but with family. But even if you’ve never raised a human, you may have encountered these traits—in the canine members of your household.

    If your dog is suddenly ignoring the “sit” or “come” commands they mastered in puppyhood, you’re not alone. New research (the part about insecure attachment is not relevant to D) from a team of UK universities has shown that dogs do go through a rebellious adolescent phase, and they can be just as obstinate as human teens as they navigate fluctuating hormones and push for a bit of independence.

    “We were all teenagers once—it’s a time when you want to explore your boundaries, become more independent, and blow off your parents. And there are definitely some similar behaviors that can come out in our dogs.”

Spalpeen