YOUR DOG AND THE MAILMAN! How to help your dog get along with your postal carrier Why does your dog go ballistic when the mailman comes? Why would a dog, who seems to love everybody, hit the front window, barking wildly, at the approach of the postal carrier?

Even if your dog is trained not to leave your yard, postal carriers, paper boys, the Avon lady, or a cookie toting Girl Scout may come onto your property. You are responsible for your dog's behavior!

For the majority of dogs the answer is: simple conditioning.
Your dog's negative response was shaped gradually. The mail carrier "invades" your yard predictably, almost every day of the week. He walks brazenly into your yard, right onto your porch, and rattles your mailbox. Even though your dog barks and "scares" him away, he has the audacity to come back, day after day, seemingly to taunt your dog just one more time. No wonder your dog is so upset!

So how do you help your dog learn to like the mailman?
Think positive. Scolding and yelling won't make your dog hate the mailman any less - and it certainly won't make him like him any more. Success in improving your dog-postal worker relationship could depend directly on how you and your mail carrier react to your dog. First impressions last! If you are treated kindly, you will form a positive impression of that individual. If you are treated rudely, you become defensive - on guard the next time you meet that person. This is also true of how your dog views the world. The key lies in changing your dog's perception, eliminating the "threat" which causes the dog to feel defensive. The worst thing that can happen in a dog/mail carrier relationship is for the dog to feel the sting of mace or pepper spray. This will forever convince the dog that those people wearing those uniforms and carrying those letters cannot be trusted. One mace-happy substitute can mean a painful bite for the regular the next day. The best thing that can happen is for your dog and your postal carrier to become friends!

Biscuits, balls and happy smiles ...
"Yay, here comes the mailman!" should be your attitude. If the mailman offers your dog's favorite biscuit or stops for a moment to play ball, this can also become your dog's attitude. There is a misconception on the part of some postal department personnel that "if the carrier gives the dog a biscuit one day and then the next day the substitute fails to produce a biscuit, the dog will bite him." This is absurd. Happy, wagging, "oh, boy here comes the mailman" dogs do not suddenly turn ugly. In fact, the "variable schedule of reward" (sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't) is the most powerful form of positive reinforcement for proper behavior. An occasional biscuit will reinforce the dog's positive opinion. Instead of feeling defensive at the approach of the mail toting person in uniform, the dog will look forward to the daily visit!

Safety first - protect your dog and the mail carrier!
Don't leave the dog alone in the front yard when the mail carrier is due to arrive. If you can't be there with him (on leash!) to guide and control the interaction, keep him inside or in the backyard. If you have even the slightest doubt about how your dog will behave, keep him on leash - YOU hold the leash, don't give it to a child! Be ready - but be relaxed, don't cinch up on the dog's collar at the carrier's approach. Show the dog with your voice and body that you are not concerned at all. If your postal carrier is not a dog lover, be careful to avoid a negative experience, especially with young, impressionable dogs. First impressions last!

What about the dog who is fearful or resentful of the approach of all strangers?
Dogs who bite are a danger to friends and family and a liability for their owners. A growl is a bite that hasn't happened yet. Get professional help. Consult an experienced dog behavior specialist or trainer for advice. Ask about dog training classes and in-home counseling. Fear-based aggression requires careful and extensive socialization, under the guidance of a knowledgeable dog owner counselor. The object of the training is to build confidence. Owners of over-protective, territorial dogs will require the assistance of a firm, fair and kind trainer who can help the owner re-adjust the "pack structure" of the dog and its family. Our Social Skills class may be just what you need.

Some dogs are more protective when the owner is absent - the pack leader is gone, so it's their job to protect the family. But far more dog bites occur in the presence of the owner. Perhaps the dog feels more brave with the owner there, or the dog feels that the owner is in need of his protection. The problem lies in situations where the dog sees himself as the pack leader. The dog fails to look to the owner for direction and decides for himself who should come and go. Be a good leader; your dog will have confidence in you and trust that you will handle the approach of a stranger. He's just there for back-up if you need him. If leadership is an issue, don't miss our "Leadership" class, held once per month.

DOG BODY LANGUAGE - USE IT!
Some tips for delivery people, paper carriers, meter readers ...

Remember that, even though you have a legal right to be there or have been invited by the owner, to the dog, you are a trespasser. He may have already formed an opinion about you based on past experience with a previous delivery person. Your first responsibility is to display signals which are passive and non-threatening. You are a visitor to the dog's home or yard and you want to let him know that you bear no ill intent. Bully the dog today, and you just might get bitten tomorrow.

Dogs communicate primarily by body language. How you use your body, your eyes, and your voice, can affect how a dog responds to you. We humans tend to break a lot of dog greeting rules of etiquette. We face the dog, make eye contact and lean over - and then we try to touch the dog on top of his head or shoulders. All of these are threatening postures in "dog language." Assertive, dominant dogs approach other dogs face-on with steady eye contact. They stand tall so they can look down on the other dog. They assert themselves by placing their chin or paw on the other dog's shoulders.

Non-threatening dogs turn sideways, and look away. They look off into the distance, blink and might even yawn to show how non-threatening they are feeling. At the approach of the more assertive dog, the submissive dog might lower it's head or whole body.

As you enter a dog's territory, you should remain passive, stand sideways and look away, blink, maybe even yawn. When introducing yourself to a dog, turn to the side, lower your body, squat, kneel or sit. Don't stare! Look at him out of the corner of your eye, lower your eye lids in a friendly fashion. Extend your hand to the side for him to smell and, if he seems to accept you, scratch under his chin, not over the top of his head.

ARE SOME BREEDS JUST NATURALLY "BAD"?
We have all read stories about "vicious" pitbulls and Rottweilers. The stereo-type, hyped by tabloid magazines and ratings-hungry TV news programs, precedes these dogs. People cross the street to avoid them. When they meet one on the street, their first question is "will he bite?" Is the hype just hype?

We've all heard about "disgruntled postal workers" - but do we snatch our children into the house before the mailman enters our yard? No, of course not. We know that a few "disgruntled" do not represent the "bad temperament" of all postal workers! So why are we so quick to believe the same generalization about dogs?

There are "good" and "bad" dogs just as there are "good" and "bad" people. Temperament is hereditary - but how we are raised can make an even bigger impression on our future. Children whose needs are met, who are taught proper manners through gentle guidance and discipline, and who receive plenty of love and understanding have a far greater chance of becoming well-functioning adults. How we raise our puppies, regardless of breed, will directly affect how they "turn out" as adults.

So why do certain breeds get bad reputations? Unfortunately, the confident, fearless attitudes and impressive looks of breeds like Rottweilers and Pitbulls have made them the unfortunate favorites of less-than-responsible individuals. The tough-guy might use the dog dog with the bad rep as an extension of his ego or to protect his illegal activities. Inappropriate behavior will be encouraged - the puppy will soon reflect its owner's bad attitude. The very same dog in a gentle, loving household could turn out very differently. So often, we take our responsibility for our dog's behavior too lightly. We blame it on the dog, its genetic background, the breeder ... We rarely blame ourselves.

"A dog's mind is like rich soil; what you sow you will harvest. Vicious dogs are not born but made by permissive owners." - From JELLY BEAN VS. DR. JEKYL AND MR. HYDE, by C.W. Meisterfeld.

This handout may be reprinted in its entirety for distribution free of charge and with full credit given:
© CAROL A. BYRNES "DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF" Training for Dogs & Their People -
ditr_training @ hotmail.com - http://www.diamondsintheruff.com