On the Leash/Off the Leash

I was describing a dog I know, to a person I know...

"On the leash, he's quite obedient. He's friendly. Attentive. Seems to like everyone. Dogs and people. He doesn't pull on the leash, he knows how far he can go, he's always looks you in the eye. He seems to want to be good, and want to please...

Off the leash, he gets a little bit feral. He goes native. He gets wild and primitive. He likes to jump around. He sort snarls, drools, runs around like his tail is on fire.  He acts like he doesn't really know you at all. He pretends to listen to you and then runs off and shows you that he listens to nothing and no one..."

It dawned on me that maybe I was projecting, and anthropomorphizing... and maybe I was actually describing someone really close to me, someone super-close, someone very much like... myself...