Toddlers crave independence. They want to explore the world and don’t want mama hovering all the time. If they’re not in the mood for affection, a toddler will make it known.
This is down to human nature — although we’re extremely reliant on our parents when we’re young, inevitably we have to become independent and succeed on our own in life at some point. So although a toddler might prematurely feel that they can take care of themselves, which is certainly not the case, their desire for independence is something that will serve them well when they get older.
Funnily enough, it seems that dogs are the same way. Or at least Elvis, a bulldog puppy is when he feels his mama bulldog Patches is being overprotective. Elvis’s desire for independence from his mom was captured in this adorable video from 2009. We can’t seem to trace the origin of the video but we found it on the internet and loved it.
But what makes Elvis and Patches’ story even funnier is that it appears Elvis is learning how to walk in the video — he can barely move on his own and yet he’s already trying to be more independent from his mum! Patches can be seen helping Elvis get moving but at one point Elvis has had enough, which he begins to tell her by barking at her. Although considering his size and age, his barking sounds more like yapping!
If you want to witness the hilarious and adorable exchange between Elvis and Patches, keep on reading.
Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video 🙂
Dogs, like other mammals, rear their young to prepare them for life in the world once they’re older. When a puppy is born, there is a lot that it cannot do on its own. For one, it’s born with its eyes closed and its ears are sealed, which makes seeing and hearing almost impossible. They are born with a strong sense of smell already and it’s the main sense that they rely on. In those early few weeks, they are extremely reliant on their mothers, as they mostly spend their time sleeping and nursing.
A puppy develops a lot in its first month, which is when all of the senses develop, as well as when they begin to take their first steps. A mother dog plays a vital role in helping her puppies learn to walk, as she encourages them to move by nudging her nose behind them.
This video of a mother and son shows that process in all its glory, as the pup learns to take his first steps, while his mom stays behind, moving him along. In it, Elvis is a tiny bulldog pup taking some of his first steps into the wider world. Mama Patches, however, is worried about her young adventurous son. “Is he taking care of himself?” she must be thinking. After all, a mother is always looking out for her babies.
She comes over and starts sniffing around seeing if the young pup is okay. She is examining him from tail to head, making sure there isn’t a hair out of place.
The video starts off seemingly normal — Elvis is slowly moving on his unsteady feet while Patches is right behind her son, making sure he doesn’t do anything to hurt himself, while also encouraging him to keep moving. In the beginning, he really does need a good push to get going, so it’s no surprise that Patches is clinging very close by.
But then Elvis does something kind of unexpected when he turns to his mom and begins barking at her, although with how small he is, his barking sounds like very soft yapping. The tiny growls that start coming out of this wee pup are endearing from the beginning. He made it known to his mama that he wants her to leave him alone. He’s a fierce bulldog, and he doesn’t want his mom hovering so close.
Patches stops “pestering” her son when he begins to yap at her, but Elvis isn’t done just yet, as he continues to berate his poor mother who was only trying to help him. The owner of the video even provides some commentary at this point, as she says:
“Ooohh he’s gonna be mad at you! Easy, don’t do that or I’ll bite you! He’s a fierce bulldog.”
But Elvis keeps going, forcing Patches to stand up and face him directly, as if to say: “You’ve had your whining, now calm down. I’m the parent in this relationship!” She stands over him while looking at him directly in the face as he continues to throw his little tantrum.
His tantrum goes on for quite a while, getting more and more fierce. Those tiny growls foretell the strong growls of future years. In this video, though, his growls are just too adorable. Their ridiculous standoff continues a bit longer before Elvis seems to realize that he is acting like a big baby and finally stops yapping at his mom.
At that point, he does the other thing that babies of all animals do so well — he begins to be playful with his mom and nestle up to her. His change of tone is his way of saying sorry, and perhaps even that his mom was right and that he realizes she was only looking out for him. The video then ends with Patches licking her son clean, no doubt showing that she has accepted his apology. In such a short video, we get to witness a whole journey of emotions!
Beyond showing an adorable puppy and a beautiful bulldog, what’s most endearing about the video is how it symbolizes an animal’s journey to growing up and becoming independent from its parents. And it applies just as much to humans as it does to canines. When we’re young we don’t truly appreciate how much our parents do for us, and once we feel a bit independent, we’ll tell them off. But sure enough, we all come crawling back, because not only do we need them, we come to realize the sacrifice that they make for us. As with Elvis and Patches, the love that a mother has for her son will never diminish.
Did you recognize any human traits in puppy Elvis’s fight for independence from his mother Patches’ love for him? If this video brought a smile to your face, don’t forget to pass it along to others, especially the animal lovers in your life — they are going to love it!
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