Fear of dogs

[fng]

Fng! People still shouldn't have their dogs loose in their front gardens when they know postman is coming, it is well known for dogs to take a disliking to posties over other people as we evade their personal property by posting letters through their door. Therefore we are far more likely to get bitten and after being bitten it makes you nervous and the dogs sense that. I know my dog wudnt hurt anybody but I wudnt leave him in the front garden as I know some people fear dogs.

Page one, paragraph one, sentance one of the posties hand book " If there is a dog out - dont go in".
(some) People are always going to leave dogs out without any thought for anyone - part of life part of the job - never ever going to change - time to put up or shut up - do it or leave.

To fng do you really expect people to put up or shut up - do it or leave, in this day and age to be treated as though we are a toy or dog food. People should have more control over their dogs and show people who are trying to earn a living and bring their mail to their door some respect. In any other job you have a right for health and safety in the work place. Our work place is vast but we still should have the same protection as everybody else out there trying to earn a wage.


I have been bitten by a Rotweiller not sure of the spelling, it came out of the house didn't know it was there.
I've been bitten by a Boxer dog while pushing my bike on the pavement, the dog was on a lead. No warning! Hospital visit.
I've had an Alsaition set on me by a child, she wanted to see what it would do when it saw me, she had to get it out of its kennel and open her back gate I said Hello nicely and because it didn't do anything she nudged it and it attacked me. Hospital visit. The worst was a Sha Pei having to have 6 stitches.
I've be attacked by an Irish wolf hound, Yorkshire terrior, Staffordshire bull terrior a Westy, another Boxer and another Alsaition there are more but I think I've gone on enough. I now have a rational fear of dogs. Why should this be part of the job? In my mind it shouldn't and it should change. I have never put myself at risk I have always followed the rules. Maybe I'm unlucky. I'll answer that, No I'm not. dog owners should be more responsible.

Hellooooo ..... my put up and shut up comment was in relation to the quoted text, which started "People still shouldn't have their dogs loose in their front gardens" my response was "Page one, paragraph one, sentance one of the posties hand book " If there is a dog out - dont go in". Now is that or is that not the case ? if the dog is out.... dont go in. it is not rocket science.
As for dogs you cannot see, because they are in the house or else where, there is not alot you can do about that, but I and the person I quoted, were on about "FRONT GARDENS" DONT GO IN, if you dont like it then leave !!

So to answer you question to my comment in the context it was used - YES.

[POSTMAN]

Many people are scared of many different things,just because some of you aint.

[Island991]

I was bitten yesterday. nasty business. Nothing I could have done though. Didn't even know this house had a dog, turns out none of my colleagues did either. Stepped onto gravel drive, noticed front doors open, then bang. Dog was on my arm. I was only about 3 steps off the footpath. Nasty wounds, lots of blood, lots of shock. What if it had been children with papers, or whatever in their hands.
Still a bit shocked really. And having to type with left hand so excuse any mistakes!

[thecyclingexpostie]

in our do we've had two wtl sessions about dogs. basically it's 'dog out, stay out and bring the mail back', plus a load of other common sense things like not putting fingers through a letter box.

trouble is, many dog owners just don't get the following:
• the dog is 'friendly' to them because they are its master, but may not be to anyone that isn't
• not all people like dogs
• not all dogs like people
• all dogs are capable of biting

never been bitten as a postie, but in my previous job i was cycling to work across a shared cycling/pedestrian bridge. i encountered a woman with a small dog on a lead, a young child, and a doberman on no lead. as i went past, slowly and giving as wide a berth as possible, the doberman bit me. the woman said "i'm sorry, he's never done that before", at which point i looked at the little boy with her and told her "well he has now". she turned ashen white as the penny dropped. i told her in no uncertain terms that if i saw her with that dog off the lead again, i'd make sure she was prosecuted for it.

[AJ1987]

If anyone's got a dog on the loose I refuse to enter the garden/property. I just write on the mail DOG and the date and post it the following day