Postpeople

My dog Ruud is very special. He has been on planes, ships, cars not trains yet. He has lived with us all over the world and he is four.

He is a labxsamoyed and is beautiful. I live now in an isolated spot in Cumbria and have had no problems with anyone. He barks and gets excited when anyone calls but would never ever hurt a fly.

The other week a young lady post person asked if I would keep him inside when she delivered the post as he tends to jump up at her. I agreed and apologised.

Today I have received letters that should have arrived Saturday marked DOG OUT the postman was very apologetic and said he didn't understand why but I was cross.

The post comes in the moring between 09.30 and 11.30 which is when Ruud is outside in our quite large garden. Am I right to feel cross? Am I being daft, only he is such a lovely friend to me
he doesn't deserve to be branded as a scary .dog.

Re: Postpeople

Cookiecate,

Hi! Is there any way for you to keep Ruud inside until after the post arrives?? This way no one will be frightened

My Dutchess always barks at the post person, so I just keep her inside until after he leaves. She is 50% Weimaraner - her mama), 25% Labrador Retriever & 25% Terrier -- (her daddy).

Re: Postpeople

Thanks for your thoughts critterMum,

I have been trying to keep him in for those hours when the postie arrives. Luckily on Saturday I shut Ruud in the hall and opened the front door to apologise to the young lady and she explained that she had been bitten a couple of times. Strangely they were little terrier type dogs (I often find them to be a bitter nippy)
I asked her if I could introduce her to Ruud and she happily agreed and of course discovered that he is very gentle but really noisy.

Someone has suggested that I use a water pistol and shoot him when he barks inappropriately. I think that he is just looking after the house and me as we are alone at the moment.

I think at first I was offended because someone was trying to say my beautiful boy was scary that was being silly and I am glad that I have met the young lady and was able to apologise as this is deffinitely a bark worse than his bite.

Re: Postpeople

Dogs are pack animals and protect their leader-hence they might bark to alert you.

You know that,I know that but folk who come to your door like post folk also have to go to places where some dogs are not so well trained/loved.


Don`t blame `postie` blame rubbish dog owners

Re: Postpeople

Can you get one of those postbox thingies to put on the front gate?

Personally I wouldn't let the dog out in the front garden unattended - he might get stolen! Especially if he is friendly

Re: Postpeople

We have often met people with unloved dogs on the beach on a leash carrying sticks to ward off any dog that might come up to them to socialise. You are quite right Old Git there are some pretty bad owners out there. My boy is protective but gentle particularly with smaller dogs but sometimes he gets his nose bitten.

Funny you should mention stolen dogs Azz we did nearly lose him twice when we lived abroad but I never consider that problem up here where most of the farming community only look at dogs that work as being valuable. The only fear I have is that someone might leave the gate open and he has no road sense.

I am thinking of getting a postbox thingy like they have in America.

Re: Postpeople

I am happy to hear the post lady got a chance to meet Ruud.

Even with the fenced back yard, I never let Dutchess go out without me out with her. Teenagers in the area have tried climbing over the gate in the past to unlock it from the inside, to let her out. So friends of mine put padlocks at the inside of the 2 gates for me. But, even with the padlocks, I am still out with her. My pup gives plenty of warning barks; but she just wants to play with whoever visits.

Re: Postpeople

Please don't indulge in such things as water pistols, there are at least ten types of bark, they all tell us something and it's a pity most non dog owning humans don't have a clue about them.

For you, being on your own you definately need to know when there are strangers about, bear in mind that to your dog the postman (or postwomen) IS a stranger, therefore he WILL give the appropriate bark. (BTW It's three short sharp barks with a longish pause in between.)

I suppose you might think about putting a post box on your gate, to you it hardly matters if the bills flop on your hallway or if you have to walk a few yards to the gate does it

Many years ago we had some probs with our lovely Labrador and the postman, you have my sympathy and if there's anything else I can suggest I'll PM you.

In my opinion there is no such thing as an 'inappropriate bark' a dog will bark for all sorts of reasons and humans need to be aware of this and react accordingly, but first they need to know what the dog is trying to say.

Re: Postpeople

You can buy post boxes from B&Q, they have about three or four to choose from, the one we got the other day cost about £35 but you get two keys with it and screws. They are very handy things.

Re: Postpeople

I also have a post box outside of the house as we have no letterbox as our old girl a lab x used to go mad at the post coming through the door she was a rescue and had been ill treated we had a circle where she had chewed around the letterbox trying to get to the postman's hand.... Lexi our present dog is stupidly soft with people she hardly ever barks just if large birds come into the garden she receives presents from a friend who addresses them to Lexi and the postman knocks the door and says he has a parcel for his friend (the dog)...My friends husband who is a postie had his bits bitten badly by a dog whilst delivering mail so I can understand why they get worried but after all the dog is only protecting what is his from intruders isn't he...
Hope all is now well between your dog and the postie Cookiecate