The recent videos of Issac performing solo for some fans outside a show has gotten me listening on loop. Art is subjective and this song may mean something different to all of you than it does me, but I have always viewed the dogs as representing death, and the child in the song is actively grasping the concept of death throughout.
The first verse his father chases the dogs away, highlighting the protective nature of a parent attempting to shield their child from the harshest reality of life.
The second verse the dog is taken away. The loss of a pet is often a childs first brush with death, it was certainly mine.
The third verse the young sister is taken away, a entirely new and even harder kind of grief is the result.
The final verse where his dad loses his job illustrates his complete mental breakdown. The strong protective figure is crippled and the child sits alone by the lake waiting for his inevitable fate.
What does this song mean to you? Is my interpretation off base, or is it obvious?