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do you think your postman should deliver to you if you have a loose dog in garden?

  • 28-03-2012 6:42pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭


    as title says, whats peoples take on this?

    im a postman, deal with dogs all the time, love dogs,and have bred jack russells in the past for a few years so i know the temperament signs..

    many many times ive been run at by dogs as i enter people's gardens.. never once has a dog been wearing a muzzle, i dont just mean a gated and walled garden.. i mean all gardens, walled,fenced,open.. housing estates,private houses.. even appartment blocks..

    by run at i mean a direct run towards me with teeth showing,snarling, sometimes in almost silence..headdown and would snap ya if it got ya..

    barking is ok, a warning to me.. lots of dogs pay no heed at all and some are fearfull.. most are the opposite.. will chase ..attempt to bite,prevent me delivering the post.. not just to their own house, but usually to within 4 or 5 houses once they spot you.. sometimes more..

    if they pack up with other dogs and surround you its pretty fear inducing let me tell ya..


    question is simple.. do the owners of these animals not even consider a postman/delivery person when they leave animals free to wander their general housing areas..

    do you expect to still get your post,and your neighbours to get theirs?

    would you prefer if the postman simply reported your dog,and you.. and informed your neighbours why they were not receiving their post?

    and what if we are bitten???

    happens more than you might think..

    dog owners opinions here please.. if you were at work would you like my dog snapping around your ankles,or worse ???


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,816 ✭✭✭unclebill98


    I would not expect my post to be delivered if I was the owner of a dog that would do such things to make them worry about their safety while delivery my mail.

    I had a JR that would pull the post out of the letter box and rip it up. After a while the post man just left it on the door step. Don't blame them at all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,571 ✭✭✭amber2


    No thats why we have a post box outside the gate......... Don't think you should have to put yourself in harms way. See some responsible dog owners do take your limbs into consideration :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭ppink


    I would not expect to get post if I allowed my dogs out to bother the postman.

    in fact our bin man years ago refused to collect from us as the dog was out one day when he came. the dog did not do anything but at the end of the day he has a job to do and should not have to deal with my choice of pet interfering or disrupting that.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    im well aware some do

    , im also well used to the phrase "sure he/she wont bite" as they are barkin away ,and making inroads towards you.. even if they do not bite they make a postmans job pretty stressful thinking they might..

    just want owners who dont think about it to actually give it some thought..

    in france the posties have pepper spray for dogs !!

    we dont have to enter any garden/area where there is a threatening dog..

    there are plenty of owners who dont give it a second thought though.. hence thread :)

    thanks for reading


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 369 ✭✭gud4u


    Definately NOT,

    The owners should have a postbox up, the dogs at the back of the house(my scenario), or the dog socialised to you.

    I know a road like the one you describe, about 6 houses, all have dogs and if you go for a walk and one starts barking they all gang up on you....the dog warden had to be called and everyone was warned to keep their dogs in.

    In your case, inform the owner, there's no way you should have to put up with that.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭caitmb


    Absolutely not,no way anyone should risk life or limb to deliver a few bills or the like! Mine are out the back only,and the barking they give our postman,he probably needs earplugs!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,275 ✭✭✭evolutionqy7


    ppink wrote: »
    I would not expect to get post if I allowed my dogs out to bother the postman

    Agree. That's why my dog is always indoors, doesn't make lots of noise for my neighbours when im gone and he's only let out to the backgarden with a gate when were home.

    I always house trained my dogs to live inside and ask when they want to go outside. This way no one has to listen to my dog barking outside or chasing cars, kids,bin man or the postman. Id completely understand if my postman chose not to deliver if he was bothered by our dog

    I know my dog goes mental when he sees or hears the postman coming, but this is the reason why he's indoors.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭ISDW


    I think you should be able to do your job without fear of attack, from people or dogs.

    It would be interesting to see how quickly the dogs were contained if the owners weren't getting any post. Although, maybe thats why I haven't got my household charge notification through the post ........... :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    ISDW wrote: »
    I think you should be able to do your job without fear of attack, from people or dogs.

    It would be interesting to see how quickly the dogs were contained if the owners weren't getting any post. Although, maybe thats why I haven't got my household charge notification through the post ........... :P

    junk mail is a whole other thread :)

    bane of my life lol, have yet to meet someone who has welcomed it..

    must have some effect though as it keeps comming


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,217 ✭✭✭deandean


    Its an interesting query OP, to add to the discussion please would you reply with what your employer advises intheir h&s statement and employee training as to how to deal with a loose dog in a front garden?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    deandean wrote: »
    Its an interesting query OP, to add to the discussion please would you reply with what your employer advises intheir h&s statement and employee training as to how to deal with a loose dog in a front garden?

    we do not have to enter an area with threatening dog/s full stop.

    be madness to tell us otherwise


  • Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭evilmonkee


    No way should you have to put yourself at risk!

    Funny, when I lived with my parents in the countryside, my father was friends with our postman and we knew the postman who would fill in when he was away.

    So, one day a completely strange postman arrived down the driveway in his van. Our golden lifted his head on the doorstep and began to slowly wag his tail (expecting his usual scratch on the head), our tiny terrier ran over to the door of the van, attempting to get the first rub.

    The post man beeped his horn and I walked over to the van before realizing it was a different person, I apologized for the little guy.. He laughed and said it was the big fella on the step he was scared of!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 485 ✭✭Mo60


    My dogs are let out into our garden, which is fully secure with a gate. Because they are often outside in the good weather we installed a postbox on the outside wall. They never attacked the postwoman, but would jump up when running to greet her leaving paw prints on her trousers.

    Even so, if the postman/woman is unsure of the dog it must be unnerving to have to enter the garden. So I think anyone who leaves their dog loose in their garden should fix a postbox on the outside.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭BroomBurner


    OP, as a postman, have you come across the same issue, but with cats?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39 tipseymcT


    I used to be a postman.Only got bitten the once by a sheepdog right after the owner said "dont worry about her,she wont go near ya",she sunk her teeth into the back of my leg,leaving 4 teeth marks & a large bruise. I never got out of the van at that house again,I would sit outside & beep the horn,if nobody came out after around 30 seconds,i would drive off.
    Most people would keep their dogs in or else have a postbox outside the gate,if i felt threatened in any way i would sit in the van beeping,if no one came then i would try again the next day.There was only 3 or 4 houses i had to do this in.
    The jack russells & sheepdogs were the worst offenders.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    OP, as a postman, have you come across the same issue, but with cats?

    Just once..cat would wait beside postbox of house..postbox was low down..would slash at fingers and mail on delivery..

    Strangest one was seagulls would attack when i was delivering to on top of a high rise building..appartments..

    They had nested on roof..would dive bomb and drop **** on me and scream blue murder..

    Only happend for one summer thankfully..them birds are big lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,295 ✭✭✭Joe10000


    We have a post box on the gate to avoid this situation.

    How many more years will we have postmen ? It will seem quaint in the not too distant future.


  • Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭SteppingStone


    definitely not. I have three dogs and wouldn't expect my postman to the enter the front garden if they were there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭TooManyDogs


    I don't care how well socialised or friendly dogs are the very nature of a postman's job can create defence aggression. A postman pulls up outside, dogs bark, postman goes away = success for the dog because it seems like they managed to scare the postman away not knowing that the postman was never going to stay anyway. Repeat this pattern every day and the dog often gets more confidence in their abilities to scare away the postman until the day the postman lingers slightly longer than usual and some dogs feel the need to up the strategy.

    I know some people who leave a bucket of treats outside the gate so the postman can give treats to the dog so the dogs look forward to the postman arriving , it often works well but I think the safest is to put a postbox outside or keep the dogs inside.


  • Registered Users Posts: 608 ✭✭✭Mollyd90


    Mo60 wrote: »
    My dogs are let out into our garden, which is fully secure with a gate. Because they are often outside in the good weather we installed a postbox on the outside wall. They never attacked the postwoman, but would jump up when running to greet her leaving paw prints on her trousers.

    Even so, if the postman/woman is unsure of the dog it must be unnerving to have to enter the garden. So I think anyone who leaves their dog loose in their garden should fix a postbox on the outside.


    +1


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  • Registered Users Posts: 200 ✭✭Meemars


    I would not expect my post to be delivered if I was the owner of a dog that would do such things to make them worry about their safety while delivery my mail.

    I had a JR that would pull the post out of the letter box and rip it up. After a while the post man just left it on the door step. Don't blame them at all.


    Our girl is an indoor dog, so she's not outside when the postman comes around. But she bombs down the hall barking and growling when the post or junkmail comes in. She's a big softie but it sounds horrendous and scary, and she's taken to biting the letters once they're inside.
    Last week, in consideration of those delivering, we put up a mailbox on the external wall of the house. I felt mortified for the poor people trying to get stuff through our door. Now we have less drama all round.


  • Registered Users Posts: 209 ✭✭Taceom


    OP I certainly wouldn't expect you are any worker to have to do their job in what they would consider an unsafe environment.
    I had a terrible problem with my neighbours dogs a few years ago. They seemed really aggressive with any passers by. And while their owners said they would never bite, my children and others were always nervous passing by the house. And the postman had a particularly bad time there. I had asked the neighbours several times if they could keep their dogs in or at least contain them to the back of the house but my requests although listened to politely appeared to fall on the deaf ears.
    That was until one day their dogs tried to prevent the postman delivering MY post. I lost the plot and roared over the wall at the neighbours to keep their f** dogs out of my garden. And there hasn't been a problem since. My neighbours have had to put a postbox outside their entrance and the dogs are kept to the back.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    If a Postie feels it's not safe then they shouldn't deliver and if owners complain they can always be given a written warning if a dog is narky.

    OH is a postie and has had a few issues with dogs and has received his share of bites but he never took it further, obviously he won't deliver if a dog is narky but the problem is people leave their dogs out on the road there was one particularly vicious dog left out on the road all day hubby never got around to reporting it luckily the dog was gone after a few weeks..not the dogs fault it's the owners.

    But most dogs on the route would be well used to him over the years, and when he did have problems at the beginning he just took some dog biscuits with him, so he's pretty popular with the dogs now even when he stopped giving them (if an owner has a problem with someone feeding their dog tough if they allow the dog to roam out on the road it's their own problem if the dog eats something imo). But OH knows the dogs in the area anyway.

    There are a few cats that try to take a nap in the bike bag, none are narky. Not sure all posties would go to the trouble of bringing dog biscuits (he did get the p*ss taken out of him a few times but fek it it worked well for him.

    .....Our own postie doesn't actually deliver to our house...although he'd be safe the sound alone is enough to scare them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    Joe10000 wrote: »
    We have a post box on the gate to avoid this situation.

    How many more years will we have postmen ? It will seem quaint in the not too distant future.

    hopefully many years to come..

    i know a postie who brings broken up bits of chocolate in his pocket, and gives it to his regular on route dogs to keep them sweet (nice pun eh) :)

    its the dog safe chocolate,he likes dogs..

    its true you can get to know the dogs on your route ,and sometimes they will be happy to see you..

    its the ones who are not behind a gate,and are free to wander that can be the problem.. they think the street is their territory and thats the problem..

    they stop lots of people getting post,not just their owners

    wish they would realise this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭are you serious


    A friend of mine was a a postman there for a while.. D.A.L - dog at large... Surely you dont have to deliver to that house after that?

    My postman is terrified of my dogs, even when they are looking out the window of my house at him :o they wouldnt hurt a fly, I had them out one day during school hours nobody around, next of all postman slams closed my postbox and they ran over to lick the shoes off him, well he nearly wet himself, once he realised they were not going to do anything he walked off laughing at himself!! (But even now after that he still is afraid of them)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,224 ✭✭✭barone


    garkane wrote: »
    A friend of mine was a a postman there for a while.. D.A.L - dog at large... Surely you dont have to deliver to that house after that?

    My postman is terrified of my dogs, even when they are looking out the window of my house at him :o they wouldnt hurt a fly, I had them out one day during school hours nobody around, next of all postman slams closed my postbox and they ran over to lick the shoes off him, well he nearly wet himself, once he realised they were not going to do anything he walked off laughing at himself!! (But even now after that he still is afraid of them)


    Must have had a bad previous experience with dogs id say..

    Id always give a dog the benefit of the doubt and try deliver the mail..but when its obvious ur not welcome its not worth risking hours up in casulty for a tetanus shot. .. minimum .

    Move on to the next house etc etc


  • Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭callmekenneth


    my folks have a big garden and normally 2 boxers free in it, they go bananas when they see the post man which meant post wasnt being delivered, fair enough, so dad fixed a post box to the gate pillar, the gates are always closed, job done. it's not fair on the post man and ultimately means you wont get your post


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭saa


    Mo60 wrote: »
    They never attacked the postwoman, but would jump up when running to greet her leaving paw prints on her trousers.

    I'm surprised that many people would have their dogs in the front garden, but ha this comment reminded me of that kind of dog owner and when their dog is jumping up on you they just stand there like oh they wouldn't hurt a fly, I've also had a dog lick my legs and try to hump me while the owner stands back :pac: awkward, at least if they are a postman/woman they hopefully don't have the fear of dogs but its the dogs of owners who don't care and the postman cannot tell, if you don't care about your dog and just let it roam around its going to be badly behaved, the poster I quoted seems like a normal owner whose dogs are used to visitors but for the postman they should skip houses with dogs they don't know, I wonder do their managers see this issue in the same light?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Our postman knows us. So does the dog. It doesn't stop him barking at the poor man though! I think it's because the dog is frustrated he can't actually say hello. Postie usually rings the bell if he has a parcel and we open the window to prevent to dog from going out.

    The funniest thing - we often see the postman when out walking the dog. Dog goes mad wagging his tail and smiling at the postie!

    Don't know what the rules are here but in the UK, Royal Mail can and will blacklist you if there is the possibility of attack (dog OR human! :D). I know of at least two estates where I come from that are totally blacklisted. No postmen or delivery men will go near the place. Normally you're told to pick up your post at the main sorting office.

    Dog owners in the UK have actually been sued by postmen unfortunate enough to suffer dog attacks. Perhaps the same should happen here. Then thoughtless owners would take more responsibility for controlling their dogs.

    Postmen, Utility workers, delivery men have the right to carry out their duties without fear of attack.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 485 ✭✭Mo60


    saa wrote: »
    I'm surprised that many people would have their dogs in the front garden, but ha this comment reminded me of that kind of dog owner and when their dog is jumping up on you they just stand there like oh they wouldn't hurt a fly, I've also had a dog lick my legs and try to hump me while the owner stands back :pac: awkward, at least if they are a postman/woman they hopefully don't have the fear of dogs but its the dogs of owners who don't care and the postman cannot tell, if you don't care about your dog and just let it roam around its going to be badly behaved, the poster I quoted seems like a normal owner whose dogs are used to visitors but for the postman they should skip houses with dogs they don't know, I wonder do their managers see this issue in the same light?

    I live in a rural area in a house that does not have a fence between the back and front, quite a normal occurrence. When my dogs are out I am always around.

    My dogs are well behaved and even though the postwoman knows the dogs and is not frightened of them, I still decided to fix a postbox outside.


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