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. Pod and Widdlin should be on one of those TV shows where someone has a difficult dog and in the end it all gets sorted out. It would be a lot more realistic and inspiring than some of the stuff that's on. And who wouldn't want to watch Pod? Maybe they could make space for your trainer as well.

Can the three legged octopus co-star?

I cannot overstate his depth of connection to this ball of fabric and stuffing

Well done Pod!

Sounds like he did well.

I suspect @WiddlinDiddlin very much knows her subject here...... you won't get much better advice @HangingOver!

So pleased to hear you and Pod had a good night. I've created many rubbish situations in my attempts to solve various problems, we generally overcome them all!

@HangingOver you're doing a brilliant job. You're responding directly to the dog in front of you, nobody could ask for more. Crate training and alone training aren't at all the same things - lots of people get them mixed up and think the dog can't ever be left alone because it won't use a crate, but dogs move around a lot in their sleep and are usually much happier if they have some room to get up and trot about. Our sleep cycles are about ninety minutes, but a dog's is only thirty minutes, so they're more restless than us too. It's really normal for them to want to shift position, and to be high up, and yours is a dog crossed with a giant alien spider flamingo anyway.

My pup's never been properly crate trained but I leave the door open and he wanders in and out and sometimes stretches out in there or hides from me if I'm trying to ask him to do something he doesn't want to do - I always let him hide 😄 - as my end game is to have it for emergencies, but to let him have free roam of the house if I'm out. I know Pod is more ravenous so you have to be more careful but it sounds like you're right on track.

There we go, I reckon the night-woofs were just a ' I woke and have to check the world is still there' as nothing dramatic occurred.

Good stuff, as Bupster says.. and it is one of my most frequent sayings... you're working with the dog you have right now.

Too many people are working with the dog they want but don't have, the dog they had last week or last month, some dog out of a book that does not resemble the dog they have whatsoever... one lady I saw was treating her dog LIKE A FUCKING CAT (please be assured, that dog was rehomed and has lived like a doggish king ever since).

🚨 A pod-first!! 🚨

Me and DF took Podface up to the cliffs for a walk. This was slightly risky since an impromptu visit from his Ridgie pals occured immediately prior (several tellings off from boy Ridgie, all deserved - read the freakin room Pod) had sent him into hype mode.

But we kept away from other dogs and not only did he have a wonderful time bouncing through the gorse looking for mouses on his extendy lead, he waited patiently while DF and I had tea INSIDE AN ACTUAL cafe! For a full fifteen minutes without whining or peeing on the floor. I'm not exaggerating to say almost every single person in the place came up to pet him and ask about him. At one point there was a small queue. He was very, very wag. Then eventually he got a bit restless and chewed his lead a bit, so we left with no drama at all. I'm so PROUD of him! Photographic evidence attached (he got a little bit of pastry for being good).

Brilliant Pod!

For every step back there are at least two forward. Hold that thought!

The Christmas tree is still intact which shows what a good boy he was.
Dogs love cafes.

Wow, Go Podface!

StickDog cannot do cafes or shopping. She thinks its all boring and so we have her yowling and chuntering and stropping and doing all the noises from Charley the cat in the 'Charley Says...' public information films (if you recall those...)...

Hurrah for acing a 'Normal Well Behaved Dog Thing'.. :D

Good old Pod - he looks very calm & focused in that photo. Possibly had his eye on the pastry & had a feeling he deserved some after all that admiration from strangers.

Great news. Well done Pod.

Not surprised Pod had a queue of people wanting to meet him. I love saying hello to strange dogs when out and about especially handsome ones like Pod.

Oh, what a Good Pod!

Thanks everyone. Absolutely crackered (me and Pod). We're going to the forest walk with the Ridgies tomorrow.

Wish us luck for a peaceful night for his second night sleeping loose. Eeeep!

I'm so proud, well done Pod, all round.

Guess who slept straight through to 8am, only getting up to reposition his leggies and boot Kenneth off the bed. This guy!

Look at him with his head on his little pillow 😭

Also, I came down to make coffee and bring DP one and he didn't get up. Just accepted some belly rubs and watched me from his bed.

Well done Pod, that’s the way boy, that’s the way.

That's a relief!

My first few weeks with my lurcher girl were a battle about the sleeping arrangements, a battle I was determined to win.

For several reasons I didn't want her in my bedroom at night, and it took a few weeks and an extremely scratched kitchen door for her to accept it.

Once she did accept it she loved her bed in the kitchen and only scratched the door to wake me up when she was hungry in the night. Now I hold back some of her dinner till bedtime and touch wood that has worked, for the moment at least.

Now she goes to bed by eight (her choice) and that's her till I come through nearly twelve hours later.

Happy days.

I would love him in our bedroom but upstairs is completely out of bounds atm. He's made strides so far with not attacking the sofa cushions but still needs careful supervision.

He just wouldn't cope being loose in a room with a mattress, pillows and a quilt in it. And his crate is massive so wouldn't fit.

Poor Kenneth having to sleep face down on the floor!!

But brilliant Pod, well done indeed! :D

Oh Pod, what a complete super hero.

Well done @HangingOver . You've done this. He's just responding to your love, care and security.

Having said that, don't feel bad if there are any set backs or off days. He's has a time of it and he might be like humans who play up as they need to check their security is secure..

Hehe thanks. He's proving your point by being a Grade A SHOUTY KENNETH tonight.

I don't know if you've ever heard the Podenco "battle cry" but it goes:

ROROROROROROROOOOOOOOOOO! ROR ROR ROOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Sorry @HangingOver but that made me laugh.

RainbowDoggy has been a monkey today. She tore her Christmas soft toy robin on the day and he has sat on the mantelpiece waiting to be repaired. She has cried while looking at him. Today I sewed him up. She sat next to me quietly, patiently while I performed surgery then very happily and gently took him from me. I heard her crying happily this time as she played with him in the lounge while I was in the kitchen. Ten minutes later DS2 came to me and said have you seen the lounge? The rug was covered in stuffing and poor robin was laid on the rug looking very deflated. I have filled him back up twice but he has been let go now, sadly, and RainbowDog has gone to bed.

I think she thinks the whole point of soft toys that she pulls out the stuffing. Interestingly her very first soft toy I bought her is still fully intact. Eight years she has had it.

Oh RainbowDog you wee scamp.

Pod adores pulling stuffing out of things. I think it's his hunty instincts coming out (boak). He's fucking finally starting to settle after three hours of shouty mayhem.

He's snuggled in a ball next to me on the sofa doing what can only be described as chuntering.

I'm trying to watch Moonflower Murders and I keep missing clues.