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.

I'm sorry you had a stressful walk, Hanging, it's a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see their little butt dissappear out of sight...😓

Pod has come so far, you'll crack this just like you're doing with any other challenges.You got this 💪

Aargh I hope I didn't jinx it by my comment earlier!

Obviously all dogs are different, and the same dog is different on different days, but while we wait for Widdlin I'll just say that my dogs' recall has been greatly improved by a lot of practice in return for high value treats when there's no reason whatsoever for it. I wanted them to learn that if they heard the whistle, chances were it meant they could collect something yummy and go straight back to what they were doing before. If I had the very best treats I'd ask for something easy at the start of the walk so they'd know that Mum's got LIVER CAKE today, I don't know whether this made a difference but I still bask in the glory of the time I recalled them from running deer and they came straight back. I don't know who was the most surprised 😄

Many of us have been there, Hanging.

I'm afraid present lurcher doesn't go to the beach at all. We stick to the secure fields. It's a shame for her but I just can't risk her messing with other dogs and being too full on.
Previous lurchers did get many visits to the beach but I got a real fright on a couple of occasions.

Pod is still very young. You have time.

I've just ordered some liver treats. I know by owning a dog I'm technically not a vegan any more but I truly cannot face making my own haha

I think we've all been there. I've got the typical Lab that wants to say Hello to every dog he sees.

Usually his recall is very good but occasionally it isn't and he acts deaf, or else looks at me and runs away anyway in bold defiance.

I'm not sure 100% reliable recall is possible in a young dog or that it's the end of the world if they occasionally don't achieve it ... but Widdlin may think differently.

Don't worry, Hanging, you're doing brilliantly. Sounds like he's just being a typical teenager, testing his boundaries. (I thought this story was going to be far worse when I started reading!) Keep working on his recall and see how he does. Some dogs are never quite reliable enough to go off lead except in very controlled circumstances, but Pod did come back relatively quickly, which I think is really good.

You summoned me..... snort

Yep, it's risky and the more he practices ignoring a recall cue/buggering off, the better he gets at that.

On the other hand, he is just going to see, he has no desire to be unpleasant (possibly a little rude and silly but not nasty at all) and he has lots of desire to return to you once he has satisfied his insatiable curtiosity!

He's not disappearing for ages, going off hunting or playing keep-away when he does return, so thats also some massive pluses.

More practice, more management, and if you think he won't respond to the recall cue - don't give it - as each time he hears it and does as he pleases he is learning that particularly cue means nowt.

He'll get there, this is by no means hopeless and for his age, background and how long he's been with you (which I know now feels like 'since the Jurassic era' but it isn't long really)... he's doing bloody well!

I'm in no way one to give advice. I only have my first dog and she's eight. I'd say her recall is 98%. The other two is scary at times but all that actually happens is she doesn't come back a quick as I want and sometimes I have to go and actually get her. So I don't think it is as bad as you might think. I know my dog won't bite anyone and I think even when she doesn't do as she's told, she's never done anything that bad. Isn't that the same with Pod?

Jesus I just got a fierce lesson about why it's good to have Pod on a lead!!

We were walking through the woods on a path, me my friend and Pod, and saw some men.... Doing something in the trees. I think they might have been taking wood or maybe burying something?? Anyway it was a bit odd. But they had a HUGE bully with them. The kind that looks like a rhino in a collar. Bloody Pod did his usual song-song about wanting to play and the man got a tight hold on the dog's collar so we scuttled past as quickly as we could. But the man obviously let it go immediately as it came storming down the path after us making rumbling sounds. Then then men started yelling at it to come I mean REALLY yelling like they were angry... And luckily it turned round at the last moment but jeeeeez I nearly pooped myself. The path is narrow and nowhere near a road so I literally hand my hand on the lead clip ready to free him and yell "Run Pod!". Me and my friend compared our trembly hands afterwards. I know that sounds wet but it was bloody huge and scary!

Run Pod!!! That's love..

Eeek... I think I'd have been shaking for a week!

I remember thanking everything there is that I'd taught my then lurcher a send away, literally 'fuck off quickly over there, when you can't see me stop and wait'.. when we came down a path to find the most enormous long haired GSD standing there, staring hard, guarding the path, next to his open gate. He was fixated on Ms Lurcher and looked like he wanted to rip her throat out..

I unclipped her and sent her away, and once she was out of sight, I found my 'authoritative voice' (from in my boots) and said 'GET IN!' and pointed at the gate... and bugger me but he did! So i could shut him in - the second the gate latched he went absolutely fucking nuts at it.

I think he'd bounced his gate open, got onto the path then didn't know what to do with himself once there was no barrier, but i was not going to push my luck and try to approach with my dog next to me!

Then i went and fetched my incredibly good girl!

Funny enough I've never actually taught Pod a send away but when he's with his Pod friends and they start chasing him I do shout Run Pod! as a bit of a joke so he would sort of know what I meant. In any event he'd have legged it with no encouragement from me I think. I don't think this dog wanted to play.

Urgh. Bit of a stressful day all round 😔 I thought he was unphased at first but he barked really angrily at every dog we saw after that and he now ripping things. Poor old boy.

If it's any consolation I've fallen apart at having to go to my ex in-laws twice in two days and seen ex h out of the corner of my eye and I'm mainlining wine. We all have our needs to get rid of emotions.

What Widdlin said, with the addition of 'and so are you'.

I'm beginning to see the virtue of training a sendaway. May put it on my list.

If anyone would like to see the easy peasy practically no smell done in 5 minutes method of making liver cake it's here https://tinyurl.com/2th9cb6x out of consideration for Hanging's feelings. If that link doesn't work, DM me.

I made liver cake once, had to throw the blender away after

Sorry you've had a stressful day Hanging.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf do you have the ratio of liver to flour / potato? The recipe I have makes loads but I think it is too floury. I also dry liver in the oven - spread it out on a lined baking tray and bake for about 1.5 to 2 hours at 120 deg. Then use scissors to chop into tiny bits. Dog loves it (but probably not the best recipe to make if you’re vegan)!

@haggisaggis i use about a third of a pack of supermarket liver to a heaped tablespoon of flour. Basically a single 250g (I think) pack makes one meal for me and the rest does for liver cake. I reckon that as long as it sets enough to be useable, no-one's going to complain. I use a stick blender which works fine for small quantities and I have willing volunteers for the initial cleanup, after that it just goes in the dishwasher.

Dried liver sound like an interesting option but I'm not sure I could cope with the house smelling of it for a couple of hours!

Thanks @MontyDonsBlueScarf. I don’t mind the smell, although hate the taste of liver.

I've bought a chef's candle as I got sick of the house smelling of cooking and it actually works. I recommend them.

The other useful ones I've taught are a 'hide behind me' where the dog goes behind me and stuffs nose up my arse so they are then not staring at whatever is in front of me, which can help de-fuse a situation.

And 'ZOMBIES, RUN' which means we are going to take off running and this is fun and not a scary or weird thing at all, its a fantastic game - meaning you don't accidentally yank your dog or scare them. Easy to start, just pair throwing treats in the direction you're going to run in and gradually increase the distance and time before the throw happens.

Great for getting away from annoying people too :)

@WiddlinDiddlin both of of those sound great, mine would have loved Zombies when she was still young enough to run anywhere.

@2025willbemytime I've always wondered about those candles so that's good to know.

Here's hoping for a less eventful day for Pod.

Pod is at his first ever daycare today.

Timing-wise it wasn't great because DP has been away for two days and therefore Pod has been acting like he's on crack for the last 48 hours. Combined with his experience with the bully dog and being tumbled over by a friend of his (he's now scared of her) yesterday it wasn't the mood I'd have wanted to drop him off in for his first ever day.

But the arborists are here today giving the whole garden a huge haircut, lugging branches through the open gate and woodchipping it all so Pod would have spent all day screaming at them and trying to escape.

I've taken the opportunity to steam clean the sofa which will look beautiful and smell nice until and about four minutes after he gets home.

Would anyone like to place a bet on what his behaviour report will be? I'm extremely apprehensive but I supposed they'd have rung me by now if he'd escaped or eaten someone.

My money is on him being a perfect guest...

Me too. You'll get a school report that reads like it's the wrong dog.

You were both 100% correct