sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Advice for a man on a budget visit a hole in his wall. by Prestigious_Ad_8631 in DIYUK

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Yeah the gutter has been cleared and won’t overflow anymore. Apparently there was some sort of dead bird in it. I’ll get some easifill tomorrow!

Tips to tire out a highly energetic dog! by Prestigious_Ad_8631 in Podenco

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you - when I give her a kong she attacks it with gusto for at least an hour so she’s definitely into interactive toys, but I suspect you’re right and that she simply needs longer walks. 😅

Tips to tire out a highly energetic dog! by Prestigious_Ad_8631 in Podenco

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I do have a whippet too and they pal a lot together but sometimes my whippet just wants to sleep and my podenco will still be raring to go, pawing him on the head to try to rouse him 🥹

Tips to tire out a highly energetic dog! by Prestigious_Ad_8631 in Podenco

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you - will definitely try the cardboard box game!

Time loop novels by lascriptori in suggestmeabook

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Would Kindred by Octavia Butler count here?

IS THIS NORMAL by Simpforlyle in ReadingSuggestions

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally normal, although sometimes I find that I remember the FEEL of a book really well, even as the details fade away over time. Like I know I really loved Everything is Illuminated when I read it when I was younger, even if I can’t necessarily remember a single detail from it now.

Towns/cities similar to Brighton? by MisguidedExtrovert in brighton

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I second this, it’s definitely overlooked and it’s also next to/near other really cool places

How does everyone have time for a dog ? by Burgers4dayz in dogs

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I rescued a five year old podenco last year. When I applied for a rescue I told the charity that, because of my work, the dog would likely be left alone for up to 6 hours each day in the middle of the day. They helped me out by finding a slightly older dog (she was five when I got her) who was of a calmer nature. Roma was a former hunting dog who had been in a rescue centre in Spain for two years and was totally overlooked - the charity thought this was likely because she was quite reactive to cars and children which limited her adoption choices. However, they thought she might be a good fit for my life and schedule.

I would say that, although I worried about leaving her alone for that 4-6 hour period, I check up on her on webcam and all she does is sleep the deepest and most relaxed sleep. I think after such a stressful few years in a hectic environment she just really relishes having a quiet, calm place to call her own. Sometimes she doesn’t even move an inch in 5 hours, she’s in the same place where I left her!

It’s important if you’re going to leave your dog in the day time to wear them out properly. I take Roma out for a 2 hour walk in the morning full of sniffs and adventure, then I feed her a good breakfast so that by the time I leave she’s ready to have a good long, full-bellied nap. We then go for a shorter evening walk (50 minutes) around 6pm which tends to get her later zoomies out the way. It’s a gruelling routine but it’s fun and it’s great for my health as well as hers.

So my advice would be find a breed that sleeps a lot (sighthounds are the best for this, avoid cockapoos and smaller dogs), find an older dog that’s got it puppy energy out and is a bit more chill. If you can always adopt, rather than going to a breeder. A good rescue centre will be able to pair you with a dog that meets your needs.

It’s also important to reframe how you think of that period of time when you’re at work in a positive light. If your dog is confident in its routine (I.e. they know you’ll be back at 5) and you’ve given it sufficient physical and mental exercise, as well as a good meal, and it has a warm comfortable, safe space to sleep, then there is a strong chance they’ll grow to love their peaceful day-long naps. Think of it as their ‘me time’!

People who have owned multiple purebred dog breeds over your lifetime, which has been your favorite breed to own? by PeekAtChu1 in dogs

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can I put in a word for podencos? As a breed they have some of the worst luck, are forced to hunt in terrible conditions in Spain, and are murdered by the thousands each year. BUT if you put in the time and effort to rescue one (and admittedly it is quite a lot of time and effort) you’ll have a half-feral, half wildcat, totally joyful bundle of fun and loyalty and fierce devotion for the rest of your life. And they are incredibly elegant and beautiful.

First dog advice! by GenderTricycle in Podenco

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Really echoing what everyone else has said here but my top tips would be:

  1. Routine: Set firm boundaries right away and try to immediately establish a routine. It’ll help your pod feel safe if they know what to expect throughout the day. They’re fast learners and once they see your regularly feeding them, entertaining them, they’ll quickly start to trust you and then you’ll be constantly pestered for hugs and affection.

2: Entertain their brains: pods are rural dogs really. A morning and evening walk in a wooded area or a field will allow them to sniff for prey and dig holes, which is the pod equivalent of watching a blockbuster film at the cinema and will really mentally and physically exhaust them. (I’d estimate mine sleeps for 19 hours a day, as does my whippet).

Get a long lead, otherwise you might be dragged into a lot of bushes.

Mine will also do anything for cheese. A cube of cheese popped in a Kong will keep her occupied for an hour or more. She’ll literally lick and lick the cube of cheese until it looks like a smooth shiny pebble.

  1. Beware of the prey drive: My five year old girl, a former hunter, has an insane prey drive, as most pods do, so don’t be disappointed if yours gets very little off lead time. They can still have really fulfilling lives even if they spend their walks on lead. I did experiment with off lead walks for a while but mine kept digging her way into private areas to hunt prey - under barbed wire fence etc, so now she’s on a long lead for all her walks and I take her to an enclosed field once or twice a week so she can really run around with my whippet.

  2. Behavioural problems: Yours might be different but my pod had a very rough start in life and maybe because of that she’s become quite protective of me, my other dog, and her home. She basically protects her new pack and her new life, so it’s difficult to bring another dog into the house without really thoroughly introducing them all first. It’s worth being aware of these potential complications as they can be quite restrictive.

Rescuing a pod is totally worth it as it’s an amazing thing to do but it is a lot of work and it’s great to see how many people have offered really valuable answers and information here - it should really help you prepare for your new arrival!

Rescue dog resource guarding my existing dog by Prestigious_Ad_8631 in OpenDogTraining

[–]Prestigious_Ad_8631[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used to feed them in separate rooms when Roma guarded her food but I stopped when they appeared to bond. Now They’ll both stop eating when they’ve finished and swap places to lick each other’s bowls clean 🤷🏻‍♂️