Composting

This morning Sven threw an apple core out the back door. Jack said "What the hell was that?" Sven said, "Compost." That led to a big yelling match.

Sven was testing Jack. I could smell it on him. But I could have seen it. Jack did. It was obvious.

Teenagers are in many ways temporarily insane. They do things that boggles the mind. Even teen dogs, and cats, and I suppose teens of all species, act like numb-nuts and ding-a-lings. But this is natural. I have seen it many times.

Teens need to test their world, understand the rules and limitations, within their family and home, and in the broader world. It is so with people and with pandas, with all species. Well, maybe just mammalian species. I'm not sure. I am a bit biased toward mammals. We dogs tend to be that way.

The challenge for any parent is how to respond. Too little is bad. Too much is also bad. But where is the balance? It is different for every kid and every parent.

Dogs also have to learn and figure out how to play their teenagers, both pups and people. Think that's funny? Ever family dog learns his or her family and comes up with a strategy for each. This does not just include how to deal with teens. It also includes how to get handouts and scraps, how to get up on the bed, how to get walks, or get loose and run the hood, or what to do when left in the house too long and she or he cannot hold it. Nature calls. You can't always just not answer.