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. 🥹

Guess he had to make sure it was dead and that he’s boss of it!

The bristles look fine. It’ll still work. Just wipe the slobber of the stump of the handle.

I don't know if any of the rest of you have been hit by this storm overnight but Pod is both simultaneously disgusted by the idea of going for a walk and outraged that he's not had his walk. He's acting like the Tragic Hound of Benidorm even though he took one look at the wind and rain this morning and said fuck that.

We've got an hour at the paddock later so I'll put his DryRobe on and try to get 20 minutes of ball chasing out of him.

Batten down the hatches!

The Stick Dog is outraged similarly... she wouldn't wee in last nights wind n rain, but also was furious I wouldn't let her just stand out there in it looking wild and bonkers. And then she came in and was furious that she was moist.

She is a conundrum on legs that dog.

In honour of Widdlin, Pods purple Tearrable has been christened Kenneth. Since it's used when he's being Shouty Kenneth.

Oh Kenneth, you are loved now, rather than stuffed in a bag having committed the awful crime of 'not being quite right' by the Stick Dog who is extremely fussy (she loves a Rugby ball she stole from Witney Rugby Club some years ago though)...

Thats warmed me cockles that has! 😍

You've made his Christmas Widdlin ❤️

Honestly, I've just come to gaze at Podfaces beautiful ears because work is a total shitter today with people expecting magic wands and me to come up with ways to make life easy without them having to meet their puppies needs... ugh!

...... and breathe. Oh the ears. The beautiful radar recieving ears. Can I get a go on his ears on prescription please?

Oh Widdlin I'm so glad you're on tonight. I didn't want to post and bring a downer on Xmas eve but I've had a solid 48 hours of "what have I done". Sometimes he's so nice and sometimes it's absolutely bloody relentless. Almost three hours he's been going for tonight. Constantly up and down, taking things, ripping up everything,. making a total racket.... I know it's not his fault. I know I know I know. But just..... fuuuuuuuck.

Podface in his new coat

Oh but he is a handsome bell-end isn't he!

He is a glorious dickhead and one day this will alllllllllll be memories that you will buff the edges off and tell in a nostalgic way, thinking 'welllllll it can't have been THAT bad'... and then you get another one.

Got any cardboard/amazon boxes left for him to make into tiny pieces, that is what I have to do with the Stick Dog when she is on one, that or bubble wrap, fuck me but that dog loves bubble wrap like no dog should. Popping each bubble individually with her tiny front teefs. Weirdo.

This too shall pass. Also, goes into Northern mode think on lass... at least you didn't have to send a stranger a photo of your dogs genitals in order to ask whether you were looking at a vagina or a penis.

He was convinced it was a penis. It was not. I was that stranger.

It has, again, been 0 days since I discussed a dogs genitals with a stranger on the internet.

And then there was the time someone sent me photos to check if her dogs bumhole had fallen off.

It had not.

I might be a bit overtired and all i have eaten today is sugar... mm!

HAPPY CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Thanks Widdlin. My whole house owes you big time.

It really will pass. It's just scary when you're in it and you're like "what if this is it for the next ten years".

He's completely regressed with being left alone in the house so we can't do that any more, we need to go back to square one which is a really daunting thought. The words of my colleague keep rattling around my head when she said she couldn't leave her dog alone in the house for two years. If that's Pod I won't last two years I'll be dead by then.

He's very handsome considering he's a total loon. Hope you manage to have a good Christmas despite his antics.

It is awful when you're in the middle of it, yup.

Regressions are totally normal, in fact I'd actually be much more concerned at NOT seeing them than at seeing them - because regressions mean he is learning and processing and trying to cope, whereas if he were to plod along quietly not reacting, I would really worry that there'd be a big unexpected kaboom to come or that he were totally shut down and not processing at all.

Take heart from the fact he has coped alone, as that means he will again - Id be highly surprised if a dog of his age and his background could cope with regular, useful alone time, that he has actually puts him ahead of some dogs I am dealing with of his age but not his type or with his background!

I can't promise how long it will be (oh boy I would be a rich lady indeed if I could!), but I will say I think it wouldn't be so long before he has sufficient capacity to trust other humans that he could be left with a sensible sitter and that will open up your life a lot more!

Happy Christmas to Pod and his mum and dad. I've loved catching up with his antics this year, both the highs and the lows. I totally understand your frustration and occasional despair but it will never be this hard again, just look how far he has come. I was woken at 5am with my cats claw thrust up my nose followed by the glorious sound of her vomiting on the carpet. Cats can be little monsters too!

Agree with @sydsmum I check every day for photos and updates - happy Christmas to you and Podface

Happy Christmas Hanging and Pod 🎄

Happy Christmas Pod (and pup-mum and dad)! 🎄🎄🎄

You're doing an excellent job @HangingOver.

Happy Xmas Pod and Pod people!
May all your Xmas boxes be shredded!

Thanks for the good wishes everyone.

We didn't have a very good day 😔

My mental health has taken a nosedive since I got covid and pod has hit another tricky phase. I had a big, big cry this morning because I was feeling so overwhelmed about not being able to go out the house without him (or sometimes just out the room).

DF came over as he's visiting and staying in a hotel nearby. I was quite looking forward to seeing him and hearing about his trip away but he just wanked on about foreigners and the global cover-up and criticised Pod (who was dealing with the excitement and poppersin quite well really).

Feel very tired now. I really hope you and your pups had lovely days. ♥️

There's a vid of Pod opening his octopus on the gram, and a picture of him in his new wax jacket looking smart as paint.

Fancy boy

Sending (((hugs))) and

You haven't had a break yet so it's not surprising your MH has taken a nosedive, you are doing a lot, and it's intense. Is it an option to get a regular dogsitter so you have a clear break once a week or whatever?

Pod is such a poser!

You'd forgive him anything based on that photo. Butter wouldn't melt.

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time with Pod the last days. It will pass. Think how much he has come on since you got him. Progress is never constant with any living beings, so it will be up and down. But it will be up again, don’t get too despondent.

Btw, I have had a rush of anxiety and depression a couple of weeks after having COVID every time (and I’ve had it five times!). It passes after a week or so. Hopefully you will also feel better soon.

I wish you all the best for next year, Hanging.

A wonderful dog walker takes my girl out for half an hour a few times a week. She wasn't nearly as challenging as Pod, but with me being on my own and older, I needed a bit of help and it's been a blessing. Maybe when you feel Pod could cope you could consider something like that?

He's got a meet and greet with a local round the corner from us soon. I'm thinking if they got on maybe a walk a week. She also does dog sitting in house potentially for the future. 😊