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El chico adiestra al perro todos los días, y eso que es cabezota.

El chico adiestra al perro todos los días, y eso que es cabezota.
The boy trains the dog every day, even though he is stubborn.
From Lesson 449:Concessive afterthought (y eso que)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about El chico adiestra al perro todos los días, y eso que es cabezota.

Why does y eso que take the indicative es here instead of the subjunctive sea like other 'even though' phrases?
The phrase y eso que (even though / and to think that) always takes the indicative because it introduces a declared, established fact functioning as an afterthought. Unlike aunque, which can take the subjunctive if the information is hypothetical, y eso que emphasizes a surprising reality.
Who is cabezota referring to in this sentence, the boy or the dog?
Grammatically, it is ambiguous! Because the verb es is in the third-person singular, it could refer to either the boy (el chico) or the dog (el perro). In a real conversation, context would make it clear whether the trainer is pushing through his own stubborn nature or dealing with an uncooperative animal.
Why does cabezota end in -a if it refers to a masculine noun?
The word cabezota (stubborn) is an invariable adjective, meaning it has the exact same form for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. You use it the same way for a male (él es cabezota) and a female (ella es cabezota). To make it plural, you just add an -s (cabezotas).
Why use adiestra instead of entrena for 'trains'?
The verb adiestrar is specifically used for training or taming animals to follow commands. Entrenar is generally used for sports, physical fitness, or practical skills. You would use entrenar for an athlete preparing for a race, but adiestrar for a dog learning obedience.
Why is there an al before perro? Is the personal 'a' used for animals?
Yes, the personal a (which combines with el to form al) is used for specific animals that we have a personal connection with, such as pets. Since this is a specific dog being trained rather than a random animal, it takes the personal a just like a human would.

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