'I know You posties dont like dogs!'

[templek]

Some woman said that as she half opened her door to collect a packet with her dog barking. I told there are some freindly dogs out there. My favourites are whippets and greyhounds. Ive never had any bark of try to bite me before. So would others agree? there must be exceptions to the rule. so which breed is usually the most friendliest from your experiences?

[MAILMAN84]

Never assume 2 dogs are the same. I've patted rottweilers and had my leg ripped to pieces by Scottie Dogs. What I do is put my hand over the gate first, If it goes for ur hand no access, and if it barks and backs off risk it.

[clashcityrocker]

Never risk it.
If the dog is loose and the owner can't/won't restrain it the mail should be returned properly endorsed.

Of the 5000 posties bitten every year I would guess most are bitten by dogs that "don't bite".

[eian687]

if a customer opens the door with there dog i ask them to put dog away, we had a postie bitten just before xmas when he turned away after handing over a packet.............nasty bite on his back

[bunkerland]

Bit of a myth this about posties not liking dogs...........posties don't like getting bitten by dogs,the two things are very different!
When i first started i got bitten/nipped quite a few times through my own naivety/stupidity and a stubborness to try to always deliver all the mail,i soon learnt my lesson and a few simple actions should greatly reduce your chances of being bitten.

Never enter a property if you're nervous about a dog that's loose in the garden,just endorse their mail,let the manager know and hopefully they should soon get the message. If you know you're knocking on a door with a dog inside that you're worried about,take your bag to the door and hold it down in front of you when the door opens just in case! Never turn your back on any dog,if ever there's an invitation for it to bite you it's that,back away slowly and as a last resort you've always got your foot to use in any way you see fit!

[97gaz]

L

[eian687]

It should be one incident and then mail suspension. That puts the onus on the customer to sort the problem.[/quote]

this is what our DOM does

[dvbuk55]

I did one delivery for eight years and went to a house probably 70% of the time where a jack russell was always out in the garden. He would run up the garden wagging his tail and roll over and let me stroke and pet him......until.....one day I opened the gate, as usual, the dog ran up the garden, as usual, and promptly bit me on the calf!!!! No idea why but you can rest assured I didn't go in again when he was loose.

[fishtank]

I did one delivery for eight years and went to a house probably 70% of the time where a jack russell was always out in the garden. He would run up the garden wagging his tail and roll over and let me stroke and pet him......until.....one day I opened the gate, as usual, the dog ran up the garden, as usual, and promptly bit me on the calf!!!! No idea why but you can rest assured I didn't go in again when he was loose.

It's a good point that as a dog gets older it's temperament can change,bitches that are in season or that have just had pups can also be unpredictable.
It is not unusual to be bitten by a dog you have known for years.

[Johnny Remo]

"Dogs don't like posties" is more like it! In 20 years of owning dogs I've never had a dog being aggressive to me, and never been bitten, even when breaking up fights.

Since becoming a postie 3 months ago *every* dug hates me and I was bitten within the the first month by a placid looking old thing, and by another as I walked past it and it's owner in the street.

[fng]

so which breed is usually the most friendliest from your experiences?

To answer your question - I've never come accross a nasty staffie yet either as a postie or a civie. As with people, dogs have their own personalities and their are some baduns out there but i've not met a bad staffie yet. I'm sure there will be a barrage of staffie stories to follow.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

so which breed is usually the most friendliest from your experiences?

To answer your question - I've never come accross a nasty staffie yet either as a postie or a civie. As with people, dogs have their own personalities and their are some baduns out there but i've not met a bad staffie yet. I'm sure there will be a barrage of staffie stories to follow.

Weirdly on my duty staffies are not a problem, in fact there is a flipping huge rotty and an Akita that are both placid as anything. Yet there are 2 black curly haired terriers that are old and are the bane of my life, they even go after me when on a lead. There is also an old Alsation that goes mad till I tell him to be quiet, and a white lab that is placid right up till I put the letter through the flap, he then goes mad running in circles and barking.

Rule of thumb is don't trust any of the dogs they can turn on you in a second. In fact I knew a yorkie as a puppy, wagged his tail and jumped all over me when he was in the garden. 6 months ago he went for me, luckily the owner was there so got him before he got me.

[Pat Ostman]

Labradors.

[TeeferTiger]

As others have said, they all have their moments. It's the owners who are the problem, not the dogs.

[Pat Ostman]

Personally for me Jack Russels are the worse for me. Bit twice by them.