The Pod-cast

[HangingOver]

Hello PodSquad,

Thank you for being on this crazy ride with us.

Here's the OG thread if anyone wants to go back and laugh at how staggeringly naive I was adopting my first rescue pup: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5177112-oh-my-giddy-god?page=1

Could someone please explain who this dog is in my house and what they've done with Pod? Because he's been absolutely angelic today. Truly a wonderful, wonderful dog and even coped with my DF and DPs pal coming over for Sunday dinner and sitting up getting merry on red wine.

Or perhaps the collective will on MN have given me a SERIOUSLY needed good day. What a star. 🥹

You're really not terrible at this at all

I have a former semi-feral rescue honey badger cat with a penchant for biting, and whilst I want her not to bite me, I also don't want to make her scared of me, and whilst 9 or probably more times out of 10 she'll get an "ahem, no biting" or "go eat your biscuits", sometimes it's a bloody loud "OUCH" and she gets pushed away. She's also the cuddliest clingiest cat I've had

Don't beat yourself up over it, it's hard.

My horror had a walk from hell yesterday, barking at me virtually non stop and also jumping up and ragging my sleeve.

I'm not at all proud of how I dealt with it - having remained calm for the best part of the walk I eventually snapped, told her to eff off and had a few tears. We then had cuddles and made up. Fortunately no one else was around.......

Defo don’t beat yourself up, you’re not terrible at all. Pods are hard work, I doubt any pod parent has ever said they are easy, lol. Baby Pod is a total nightmare at the moment for eating clothes, her bed, the others beds, etc, but my older pods grew out of it so I have hope! Her other joy in life at the moment is eating mud while out in the garden - again, I have hope it’s just a phase..

Remember that the most effective punishment is separation from you. The moment you can get away from one of these attacks, leave him alone and ignore him. When you go back in, repeat as often as necessary until he gets the message.

I find dog trainers and behaviourists to be very divisive in their approach. But like baby experts you can pick and choose hints for your own situation.
Dogs Behaving Very Badly is good for specific situations that might resonate, I am certain a lot of people won't agree with all he says and does.
Our late dog was a clothes puller who nipped, he grew out of it. I also had a biting toddler, it really hurts.

Thanks as ever for all your support.

Pod was predictable manic on his morning outing so I kept I short and to places he knows.

Today is a new day! I will be kind and give him lots of naps and enrichment.

I had the unpleasant new experience of pulling something out of his bum today but he let me which I'm taking as a positive.

I also accidentally hit him in the face with his ball earlier which led to Tragic Ears and much comforting and apologising. Poor silly baby.

Oh the delights of a poo-string... looooovely.

@eggandonion it's a lovely idea to say people can pick and choose the bits from each trainer that they prefer or like the sound of, but this supposes they have enough knowledge about dog training/behaviour in the first place to know whats safe, whats not, what the pitfalls or risks might be of a particular technique or method.

And if they knew that, they wouldn't be picking and choosing from people like Graeme Hall (who is only a 'master trainer' of a 'pay to join' self-assessment professional body... if you pay them £75 and tell them you've trained x number of dogs you can hold his 'qualification' too...) because they'd understand the dangers of the things he (and to be fair, others like him!) does.

The science (and the animal welfare organisations and the veterinary organisations) says positive reinforcement based training/behaviour modification is the safe, effective way forward - this means positive reinforcement with negative punishment (removal of some expected reward) as its 'flip side'.

Within that, there are myriad ways of getting where you need to get with any particular dog.

It's also worth noting that taking a force free, positive reinforcement based approach to training and behaviour modification does not mean you can't occasionally do whatever the heck is necessary to safely manage/prevent accidents! Management is not training!

Sounds like my much loved and hugely missed big cat called Sid Vicious for good reason. He was a rescue cat, totally distrusted humans and was a biter. However, after months of patience, warmth, good food, and safety, he gradually came round to the idea that I was ok. He continued to 'bite' except he stopped short of actually nipping my skin. He became an utter mother's boy, insisted on cuddling up under the duvet, and followed me round like a shadow. I had got him from a rescue centre on the basis that he was so ill and starving, we thought he wouldn't last a week so it was likely terminal care. I had that beautiful boy for 19 years and miss him every single day..
So, with even the most badly treated and badly behaved pets, there is always hope.
Sorry to derail the thread with a cat tale!

@WiddlinDiddlin love your post

The only thing I've gone against my trainer's personal preference on is the retractable long line. He personally doesn't like them but for us they're proving to be a safer option than the regular one. He still bolts and yanks occasionally but I have more control and my poor hands get a break because I've been really worried about breaking my fingers. It also means we can play the world's shortest length game of fetch while walking which is great for keeping him focused. I would never use it in place of a normal lead but for long lining it's been good so far.

Long line vs flexi retractable is a debate that goes round in circles amongst trainers really.

On the whole I prefer a long line as you can let go of it, let it run on the ground.

However I can't actually use one from a power chair because it'll get tangled, its a two handed job and driving a power chair = only one spare hand, so I use a retractable too!

I did use a long line from the mobility scooter as that can be steered and controlled with either hand and you can swap (with a bit of practice) without stopping, but you cannot do that with a power chair!

Maybe theres a time when a long line works for you and Podface but I can see the logic in a retractable right now! (You might like Grisha Stewarts Belay line option https://school.grishastewart.com/courses/belaypractice i suspect theres enough videos on youtube for you not to need to buy the course... Just to throw a third option into the ring. Again this ones a two handed kinda dealie, so not for me!).

As long as folk know where, when, and how to use either option and of course, where/when/how NOT to use either... I've no issue with 'em. They have their benefits and their flaws, like pretty much any other tool available really!

Thanks Widdlin I'm glad you get my logic. I can't lie it still hurts but my whole body hurts tbh! I may be speaking too soon as it's only 8pm but he seems better tonight. No biting yet. DP is home too which he was skipping about because he was so happ.

He had a long walk on the retractable today so I won't use it for a few days but taking the ball was a bit of a revelation. Even throwing it a few meters really engaged him and cut down on the random bolting.

He discovered the vegetation by the estuary is soft and sniffy so kept laying down on it looking gorgeous.

We also discovered he's scared of swans. We've been trotting around the duck pond in town to get him a bit more used to birds and he did very well until the swans. Ears straight back, yelpy growling, so we went the long way round.

Do people chat to him? How does he feel about that?

God he ADORES it. I keep him close to me when people go past as I think it's safest to just assume that everyone is not interested, but often people see him wagging and straining and either approach or remark on him. They sometimes ask to say hello or if they are smiling and talking I'll ask if he can say hello. Then he does wag wag wag wag and HELLOOOO but I hold tight in case he jumps. He's over the moon when the delivery people or postman come as they all make a fuss of him and sometimes he gets biscuits.

He's becoming a local character, he seems to love attention. But his communication skills need honed! He's so lucky he found you.

You know something weird I've noticed about Pod is his pupils are slightly uneven. I'm trying to find a photo that shows it but it's difficult. I just notice it now and then. He's been that way since we got him but maybe I'll mention at the next vet visit. You can see it a little in this one... The right one is bigger. Or perhaps it's just a different colour making it look bigger 🤔

My heart has just melted. He is stunning.

I passed your message on.

He's half asleep so he said "MNMNnnnnnRGH-Pfffffh!"

He is so lovely 🧡

"Goodnight to my MN PodSquad"

Last pic makes him look half hare. Half blissfully happy hare.

I hesitate to suggest this as you've already had so much excellent advice from @WiddlinDiddlin and your own trainer, but it worked so well for us I'll just put it out there. From when we first got our two, I randomly rewarded voluntary check ins on walks. Just with tiny things like a tiny sliver of bacon rind or a teensy weeny snippet of chicken. As a result they often choose to come back and check whether there's anything on offer. It sounds as if you're achieving the same sort of thing with the ball.

If I call them back to me I always reward that because they've done what I asked and I want them to know that coming back when I ask is always worth it. If they offer a voluntary check in I just reward sometimes because I think the unpredictability makes them think 'I'll just see if I get lucky this time'. Essentially I'm their human slot machine that pays out at random so they keep playing.

Give those ears a stroke from me.

O
M
G

He is smiling

How happy and chilled does he look now, all thanks to you and your Dp, you've done amazing with him, should be so proud of yourselves hope he brings you lots of love & happiness

Funny you say that... Hares are my all time favourite animal. I had a grey Belgian Hare called Little for 12 years and she was the absolute love of my life. Like when I die literally want our ashes to be combined so I can sit atom by atom with her forever and ever, that's how much I loved her.

Anyway, I remarked to my friend not long ago sometimes I feel like in Pod, Little has come back to me in dog form.

There you go. You were made for each other.