he's becoming self aware

‘Whose a good boy, you’re a good boy, pull yourself together go back in there and be a good boy’

He's getting his head in the game.

You is smart, you is beautiful, you is loyal

Every once in a while I catch my 80lb Australian Shepherd sitting on the middle step of the stair steps, but he's so big, his back legs hang off the edge of the step and he just stares into the distance for a long time like he's contemplating his own existence. It's very amusing.