For the love of Pod

[HangingOver]

All aboard Podsquad, it's Pod thread number 4.

In case you were wondering:

• What is this (surprisingly) long-running thread about? A unique lunatic rescue Podenco, known as Pod. Featuring his pals, Stanley, GentleHowl, BabyPod, GentleBounce, Fastest and Princess and many more.
• What makes you so special that you get your own thread? See above

Seriously, if anyone is considering getting a teenage/rescued/sight-hound/Podenco/all of the above and has NO idea what they're doing, please enjoy the previous instalments from the day we brought him home, to now, six months later. Posts will oscillate wildly from euphoric to mental breakdown and back again.

Here is thread No. 3 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/thedoghouse/5248472-they-love-a-bit-of-him-podlife?page=1

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

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

Pic of the handsome prick in question.

Yah he was being so fucking annoying to her earlier like read the room you giant hairy twit! I love him so much. Gyargh, feelings.

I suppose it would help if we knew whether we were talking days or weeks (months??). Hard to know. I think we just approach as if it's long term.

Pod screamed so loud out the car window earlier I got hooted at.

I agree with Widdlin that it's pretty pointless you trying to stop Wiggle getting hyper attached, they will anyway. It may be circumstances or it may just be in their nature. Lots of cuddles will be helping them feel secure which can only be a good thing. And working dogs are still just dogs with their own personalities - you will soon be expert on these 2 are you are on Pod.

Pod has behaved beautifully towards the new arrivals. Some dogs would have been territorial but he has welcomed them into his home, so sweet.

Yeah she is very attachy. He recommended them having their own little space where they can still see me and trot up to say hello if they want. Last night they sort of naturally gravitated to their own areas which is good, the girls in their sofa, Pod on his. Sadly his cuddleyness didn't last long but he did kind of headbutt me in an affectionate way when he was falling asleep.

Pod saw the sodding malinois at the building site again this morning and I think my eardrums nearly burst.

The clowns that built the new development opposite me have cocked up and gone bankrupt so there's lots of luxury flats standing empty. Presumably to deter squatters there's a man on a jacket that says 'dog handler' on the back employed to walk round and round the tiny site all day. We have to drive past it to get anywhere so probably every fourth car ride we get unlucky and pass them on the pavement and Pod goes postal in the noisiest way imaginable. I've taken to wearing headphones as we go past. If anyone has a clue how I might remedy this I'd be very interested to hear it.

He doesn't really eat in the car but maybe some God tier treats scattered on the back seat to get his head down would work.

Backseat window blinds plus god tier treats? In a box he has to shove his head in (only if he won't then stumble about with his head in a box whilst you're trying to drive!)...

I walked around the building but couldn't see the man. His number was on a post-it on the door though and I texted him and apologised. He said it's all fine, Pod is just scared and even his dog gets scared and barks sometimes. Aaaah sweet.

Woke up covered in spaniels. Everyone barked all night so I slept in with spaniels and DP slept with Pod.

Pod's tail has been declared 'still manky' by the vet. We agreed it would be much better to let the air get to it so it can heal but he absolutely will not leave it alone.

The bandage shot off shortly after getting home and DP was on an Important Call so I wrangled Pod back into another bandage before he could monch the wound and snipped my finger open with the scissors in the process. Thankfully I have many many bandages, albeit with pawprints on.

I had the maybe shit idea of taping the neck of a plastic bottle around the wound so its open at the end but means he cant actually reach the wound. I've emailed the vet and she said it was a brilliant idea so lets see what happens.

Poor you and Pod, Hanging, both of you in the wars 😔

That idea with the bottle neck sounds genius to me! I can imagine your vet suggesting that to other poor dogs with tail injuries - just think of all the dogs you could be helping 😎

@HangingOver I think you’ve reached the level of a true dog person once you start using vet wrap for humans! How’s Pod’s tail and the bottle going? I hope he’s leaving alone so it can heal. Waking up covered in spaniels sounds amazing. Jealous. I saw them on Insta. Very lovely looking dogs. How’s FIL? Any improvement in his health?

Manuka honey dressings might help with Pod's manky tail, or just some Manuka honey spread over it and covered up to stop it hurting everywhere.

Ha I didn't even notice the vet wrap on human, we use it all the time too!

Ditto manuka honey (or, frankly, any clean, new honey) - obviously the longer it stays on the better but even if its a few minutes it'll do some good and if he does lick it off, that won't do him any harm.

Natural unprocessed honey if not Manuka honey. It’s the natural enzymes and other natural things like that in it that do the magic. Heat treatment of honey to make it safe for human consumption kills the good things.

@WiddlinDiddlin Lol, you’re clearly a dog person when the dog products become human products!

Just loving the combination of vet wrap and perfect nail polish.

The hair rollers have arrived.... Will post bandage 2.0 if I manage to get it on him....

I might also have some little tubes of Vetlintex hydrogel for wounds that need to be kept moist under a dressing... as the equivalent human product is eyewateringly expensive!!

Also of note - my dog grooming kit is far nicer and spendier than my human shampoos/brushes (and I have long hair down to my bum so not totally low maintenance!).

Fingers x for tail protection method @HangingOver - have you looked at pipe lagging yet, the foam tube with the split down one side. V handy that.

It hasn't worked at all, he's just managed to bash it so it's still funky but now also bleeding. It's really really bothering him.

Back to the vets this morning. I got three hours sleep because Wiggle is so on edge and won't stop barking.

What’s Wiggle barking at? Actual noises outside or just hyper alert? Can your dog trainer make some suggestions of how to get her to settle? Tiny dose of doggy anti anxiety medication to take the edge off enough so she’ll sleep?

Poor Pod and his tail. Duct tape the dressing on his tail? Surely long dog people have a come alternative for their long dogs. I know that for chunky/not skinny dogs there’s the option of threading pool noodle segments onto a collar as an alternative. It stops the dog from being able to turn its head. With how lanky and long Pod is I suspect that wouldn’t work.

Found a photo of greyhounds in the pool noodle collar. One is in a double pool noodle collar. What about an inflatable donut or is his neck and head too similar and it would just slide off?Another suggestion I saw was a human travel pillow secured around the neck.

Lots of dog owners duct taping a sock over any leg or paw wounds to let them breathe but still be covered. You might need a toddler sock for Pod’s tail so it’s closer fitting.

Leave your tail alone Pod! Let it heal!

I’m an idiot. I forgot to post the photo!

Greyhounds because I figured they’re kind of shaped like a podenco.

Oh dear, poor Pod, poor Wiggle and poor you.

I hope everything improves soon.

We have greyhounds and have had our fair share of murder scenes from 'happy tail'. You can get harnesses that stop the tail from flailing around while it's healing - try googling tail 'harness for dogs' or 'dog tail protector' on Amazon.

It's such a tricky one to get to heal and it's quite common for part of the tail to have to be amputated :(

Bloody dog.

We've started scent training level two and Pod seems determined to make an absolute holy show of me. Highlights include ripping my coat multiple times, shouting lustily, tearing open his treat bag and scattering them all over the field and then, with five minutes left til the next field users were booked to come in, grabbing the bag of spare bandages I'd brought incase he wagged his bandage off and legging it at top speed around the field with bandages and gauze trailing like loos roll. I could practically hear him cackling, the little fucker.

Vets are happy that the tail is still moving in the right direction.

My trainer has drawn up a plan for Pod so I balance exercise, sniffies and enrichment and try to keep his adrenaline levels down.

STBFIL has taken another turn so I don't see Wiggle and Melty moving on any time soon, but it is nice to have dogs around who a) behave B) come when called and c) don't bite my arse.

Pod just shark attacked my favourite jumper then almost immediately keeled over on his bed, presumably getting his beauty sleep for more fucking up my life tomorrow.

I'm sitting on the kitchen floor eating Oreos and trying to be normal.

Send halp!

Hanging and Pod xx

I love this idea but I googled it and Pod would have this removed and turned into confetti in moments. I assume there are entire ranges of pet products designed for good dogs not dinosaurs.

Oh hanging sorry to hear it’s been a bit crap behaviour wise. Maybe the continued presence of Wiggle & Melty will help on that front (I’m aware this may just be blind optimism!) although the mental image of him hurtling round a field trailing bandages did make me smile. Glad his tail his healing. Bloody annoying about the jumper, but Oreo’s sound good! One day at a time, if the weather is as bizarre down there as it is over here that might not be helping with behaviour (kids get extra frenetic when it’s windy, and it’s been windy and wet here).

About five minutes after it happened I did see the funny side, once I'd got my breath back after legging it after him collecting all the mess and yelling "come back you bastard". The people after us were really nice actually and their fat Labradors busily tidied up all the scattered treatos.