Does your dog go crazy when someone comes to your house to make a delivery? Should you worry about mailmen and other delivery professionals?

Are “good dogs” a cause for worry?

A large number of attacks on mail carriers are from dogs whose owners regularly stated, “Our dog doesn’t bite.” The postal service OSHA Senior Director Linda DeCarlo said “When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way.”

Why do dogs become aggressive towards the mailman?

From his perspective, perhaps he sees the carrier’s daily visit as an invasion into his territory. Your dog barks and growls and the mailman quickly leaves, just like an intruder would when caught. And then he comes back the very next day to try again! This is a challenge to your dog’s repeated warnings!

If you have a mailman that tries to be assertive, that can actually made the dog even more mad. Or when the “intruder” turns his back to walk away, a fearful dog may get a boost of confidence and see this as an easy opportunity to go on the attack.

Some dogs adopt bad habits like chasing mailmen and vehicles because they are bored or anxious. Keeping your dog secured, with regular periods of activity, and providing durable chew toys, are important tools for preventing bad behavior. This is especially important if you have a dog with a strong, aggressive need for chewing or oral stimulation. I highly recommend a high quality, long-lasting treat to help reduce boredom, anxiety and stress.

What do the statistics say?

Judging by the most recent numbers, more than 5,800 mailmen were attacked by dogs, according to US Postal Service statistics.

If you own a dog, keep these three important things in mind:

1. Your dog’s behavior is your responsibility.
2. You should carry homeowners insurance.
3. Mail carriers have the right to carry and use pepper spray, or even refuse to deliver if a dog is deemed a real threat.

Thankfully, there are ways to make sure your dog doesn’t become a statistic…or get you into legal trouble! Let’s explore this in a question and answer format.

Should I get rid of my dog?

There’s no need to send your buddy packing after a minor incident. The “one bite and you’re out” policy can be completely unfair and unrealistic. Do we say that about cats? “One scratch and it’s goodbye.”

What matters most is the facts, and the circumstances of the incident. If a good-natured dog nipped at your child because he got his tailed yanked while eating, it would be unfair to say the dog was at fault or to assert that because he nipped “he’s not a good dog.” But if you adopted a dog from the shelter with an unknown past and he’s nipped your mailman several times, re-homing might be the best option if you’re not equipped to deal with the time and cost of appropriate rehab and training.

How can I prevent this from happening in the first place?

Here are a few practical things you can do:

• Get a bigger mailbox. If your mail carrier is having to get out of the truck and hand you packages on a regular basis, save him and your dog from a scuffle by installing a larger box that will hold parcels. And even if you have your dog confined, the daily episodes of growling and barking may be really getting on your nerves. Having a bigger box close to the road means your dog may never even be aware when deliveries are made. We invested in the extra large Gilbraltar box and our rural carrier actually thanked us personally he was so pleased!
• Get a post office box. This might be a good solution if you live in a rural area where free-roaming and livestock dogs are more common.
• Properly restrain your dog. For an inside dog, this is simple. Isolate him in a room with the door closed when the doorbell rings. Don’t assume that just because you’re answering the door, there won’t be an incident. Dogs, even “well trained” ones, have been known to get excited, rushing right past their owner to menace a visitor, ignoring commands in the heat of the moment. Outside dogs can be kept in a fenced enclosure or a pen. At our mailman’s request, we kept our collie-mix (below) inside for the short period of time that the mail route was run on our street. From about 11 am to 1 pm, Jasper would hang out happily in the garage.
• Take time to socialize him. Carefully introduce your dog to different people and situations so that he’ll be generally more calm and sociable. This is especially important for rescues or animals whose past history is unknown.
• Offer treats and toys. As touched on earlier, high quality toys and treats will help reduce anxiety, stress and the desire to chew and nip.
• Avoid problematic breeds. Pit bulls are involved in more dog attacks than any other breed. The American Animal Hospital Association reports this breed was responsible for 22.5% of bites across all studies. Mixed breeds were a close second at 21.2% and German Shepherds were the third most dangerous breed, involved in 17.8% of bite incidents. Pit bulls are also most commonly involved in fatal dog attacks, with Rottweilers and German Shepherds coming in second and third.

What do I do in case of an incident?

• Confine the dog and assess the victim’s condition. Call 911 if injuries are very serious.
• Apologize profusely to the victim and talk reasonably with him. He may be understandably angry or upset so wait until things are calm to have a fruitful discussion.
• Ask what you can do to make things right. If your dog was previously allowed to roam without restriction, assure the victim that you will confine him in the future. Give the victim your number and express a willingness to rectify in whatever way you can.
• Unless you personally witnessed cruelty or misconduct on the part of the visitor DO NOT try to exonerate your dog. Telling a victim “he never bites” or “he’s really well trained” will accomplish nothing.
• Do not file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company if you do not have to. This may raise your rates.
• If there have been multiple incidents with your dog despite preventative measures, consider professional assistance, or re-homing the dog to a qualified and knowledgeable person or rescue organization.

How does your dog react to strangers and delivery personnel? What are some tips you have for prevention and remediation?

 

 

 

 

 

This post is a sponsored collaboration with Responsival.