They love a bit of him (Podlife)

[HangingOver]

Hello my fabulous Podsquad, here is Podcast Thread III.

For anyone that is new to this thread, it's about my rescue dog, known as Pod.

Here is thread No. 2 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5197068-the-pod-cast?page=39&reply=141216881

And thread No 1 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5177112-oh-my-giddy-god?page=1

for if anyone would like to go back and see how astonishingly naïve and traumatised I was by taking on a fully grown, teenaged pointy dog who seemed determined to destroy me and everything I love.

Theatrics over, here is the Pod in question (obviously I've edited the lead out - I'm not mental).

If anyone doesn't have is Insta handle and wants it, just DM me. A video of me and Pod doing yoga together will appear at some point soon.

Do dogs have a bit of a hormone surge post castration, like a last hurrah, storm before the calm (to misuse a metaphor) type thing?

I'm so sorry that you are both going through this with Pod 😧

Hopefully your vet or trainer will have some advice and help.

You can do this, Hanging, you are in the raging storm right now but your future is a calmer, quieter life 😎A happy Pod, a happy family. I really believe that because you deserve it 😊

Yep, post castration the brain goes a bit 'argh, shit.. where did all the testosterone go... ' and you some hormonal weirdery, as the pituitary gland tries to tell the balls that are no longer there to make more testosterone.

During that time you're likely to see some behaviour ranging from the odd and needy to the batshit and demonic, depending on the dog.

So yes what you're seeing with the regression to earlier rather anxiety driven yelling etc is pretty normal - I would ask the vet if he can have Nutracalm (by NutraVet), its about the only calmer I've tried that properly works, without being a sedative.

Thanks a million Widdlin. You're like Pod's guardian angel.

Sorry for being a bit dramatic yesterday - some other stuff happened that was all a bit weird to do with late Dnanna and also Doc said I have arthritis which aged 37 I found very depressing (I have a genetic connective tissue disorder that apparently hastens OA onset). It's in my hands and fingers so gripping Pod's lead hasn't helped.

Today I've woken up with the mantra "Kindness....patience... give the boy what he needs". He didn't wake me up at 3am this morning either which has helped.

I took him to his favourite grass spot by car this morning to minimise contact with other doggies and he did a lot of sniffies. We did bump into Princess and her owner who is beyond frazzled at the moment due to Princess's season which has apparently made her act like she's the last dog on earth responsible for repopulating the doggy-race. I felt for her but it was also a bit nice to see someone else in the trenches with a young dog and sympathise. I said as soon as she's closed for business again, we must meet up and they can run eachother ragged as usual.

He's sitting quietly beside me at the moment. We have a forest walk booked later which will be nice, he can just Pod around with no fear of other doggies winding him up. It was about 5pm onwards yesterday that he lost his marbles so I'll see how he goes.

Thanks again my wonderful Podsquad, me and Pod would both be lost without you.

I know he's not TECHNICALLY allowed to run til he gets signed off for it tomorrow, but since I can't actually see the cut any more because it healed so beautifully.... Pods first ever go on the beach off lead is on the gram 🥹

(I worked out that at exactly the right state of tide there's a bit where you can slither down the rocks and onto a bit of flat sand surrounded by water with no one else around).

Fabulous to see him running on the beach!

Lovely to see him looking so happy.

polishes halo

Wheeeeeee, and also, vroom!

I think for everyone's sanity, a good zoomies was required!

Didn't realise you were cut off (on the beach) there! Did think crikey you were brave 😂

But he looked soooo happy 😍

Hoping for a more peaceful evening

Your beautiful boy, living the life he deserves 😍

I'm sorry to hear about your arthritis, it seems like we are living in a parallel universe sometimes. You should be winning the lottery, have a perfect life and everyone throwing you parties every week - I really don't understand why rubbish things always seem to happen to the nicest people 😔

I'm not that nice, I cheat at Monopoly

Doesn’t everyone?

Monopoly shronopoly, Hanging! 😂

Pod's coming on in (literal) leaps and bounds, all because of you and his dad 😍

Only 90 minutes of total mayhem tonight down for four hours so that's a lot better, probably because he had four walks today! Tonight it was more OTT, borderline maniacal playfulness than distress. I also ordered the calming treats and will ask the vet about giving him one in the evening if he gets upset again. Vets and training tomorrow. I'm exhausted 😂

That's progress, hopefully things will stay on this trajectory 😀

Hopefully you'll be just a normal amount of tired at bedtime soon, and Pod will have a mischievous ten minutes pre bedtime 😎

I dream of ten minutes of mayhem 🤣

I can't post any photos for the time being due to the site changes but Pod is sunbathing on his stories 🥹

I saw that and it's lovely to see him looking so secure.

How's he doing with the barking and being a tw*t in the evenings? X

So I started the chews recommended on this thread and I don't know if it's a coincidence or if he's just readjusting but we've had some wins...

• he managed both nights at doggy scent school, and did reasonably considering three out of the four other dogs in the room barked CONSTANTLY the whole time. He did get fed up with them in the end and barked back at the labs. He was very happy to see his girlfriend though (8 months old retriever) and they took regular breaks to snog.

• we've had some goodish walks and some dreadful ones but he seems generally happier now I can run the legs off him again

• when I took a nap upstairs earlier Pod did too, then DP went out, leaving Pod "alone". I watched on the camera and he managed beautifully for 45 mins. Not a whine, nothing, just pottered about on his bed organising his chewies.

He's got a BIG intro at the weekend... My very best friend in the world has three dogs, two little ones and a medium sized. Medium is a Romanian rescue, let's call him Stan. Stan is a seriously fun boy, DP absolutely ADORES him. Unfortunately Stan bites entire males' balls, so we couldn't make the introduction until Pod was done. We're going to a neutral area for them with everyone on lead to start with but I think they'll all be okay which means more friends for Pod.

He's definitely turning into a bit of a night owl, he loathes getting up in the morning and wants to party all night.

Sunbathing pic from earlier.

That is a seriously positive pupdate, Hanging 😃

I hope Pod has a great time with "Stan" 😎

He really does look very relaxed and at home.

Lovely photos! And nice to see him relaxing on a big sofa not attempting to eat it 😉

Yep, it is lovely to see him getting maximum yet non-bitey use out of the sofa, a pointy dogs proper place is on a sofa!!

Oh, good to see he’s being a good boy more of the time.