Dotty is going through a Phase. It might be adolescence. If it is, I hope it ends as quickly as it started.

She’s all claws and paws and teeth.

Everything goes into the mouth. Sticks, leaves, trash she finds on our walks … people’s hands if they reach out to pet her … toys, non-toys, food, non-food. Everything.

And she’s started pawing at people to ask for petting. Constantly.

And jump! Dotty had been doing SO well with her sit-to-be-petted greeting. She was such a sweet girl. But now? It’s like a different dog.

Orly went through a truly obnoxious phase on her way to being a Very Good Girl who rarely jumps (unless she’s trying to get onto the bed and your nose happens to be in the way …). I’m hoping that Dotty shows the same growth and maturity… soon.

During her “tween” and adolescent period Orly was hyper-aware of every moving leaf, blade of grass, bird or squirrel, and of course, human encountered on walks. Dotty is as well, but where Orly pounced and passed things by, Dotty stops and tries to pick up whatever catches her attention.

Both want to meet any and all humans and positively swoon over small children.

There are signs of growth already, though. Dotty willingly gets both into and out of the car, for example, and, just a couple days ago, I saw her go down the stairs without a single “bunny hop” of her two back legs together.

She’s tall and leggy, almost as tall as Orly, but her body still needs to lengthen and fill out before she stops looking puppyish. That moment will come soon. Maybe too soon!