One day last week after dinner, the dogs and I wandered around the upper pasture so that they could get some supervised time outside. This summer’s rattlesnake encounters mean they get little to no time outside alone. Everything was going great, until the @#$@ FedEx guy pulled up and did about the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.
Here’s how things went down:
Both dogs raced to the LOCKED gate, barking wildly.
Since clearly they got there much faster than I could, they had a bit of time to get really worked up about the stranger approaching them.
Their combined noise drowned out my hollering that the FedEx guy should stop where he was and NOT come closer.
So, imagine my vehement response when he bent over, putting his face at dog level, and stuck his hands through the gate’s mesh, trying to pet the dogs.
Lilly is barking and running around. All the hair on Ginko’s neck and back is standing on end, and he is snarling to the best of his ability. He is leaping and snapping at the air.
So, I run toward them, yelling even louder, but FedEx guy still didn’t get the hint.
When I finally got between the dogs and the gate, I held my hand out to the side as a gesture to the dogs, meaning “I’ve got this.” … And, Ginko snapped at my hand. He made contact, but did not break the skin … thanks to what I’d call good bite inhibition, considering the situation.
Therefore, in a modern rant form perfected by my fellow professional writers, I give you a Dear FedEx Guy letter:
Dear FedEx Guy:
How about learning a thing or two about dog behavior/body language and dog bite prevention, like your colleagues from the U.S. Postal Service.
Putting your face and your hands anywhere near a barking, upset dog is just plain stupid. Doing so right next to the sign that says “Beware of Dog” and while the owner flails her arms and screams at you, is even dumber.
That gate locks to protect my dogs from YOU, but I can’t help it, if you’re that misinformed about dog behavior to think you can “make friends” with a couple of dogs who see you as a threat.
It’s a good thing my dogs have more smarts than you do.
Sincerely,
A hacked off customer
P.S. That gate is LOCKED because one of your colleagues once opened it and drove all the way into our LONG driveway, where he awoke a sleeping dog who was NONE too happy to find a stranger close to the house.
***
One of our Twitter friends sent me a link to this funny Facebook page with a graphic explaining the many DONT’S of greeting a dog. Enjoy!
I can personally attest to how much work Roxanne does with training her dogs. Too bad that FedEx apparently doesn’t do the same–or that this particular employee apparently missed that part of his training.
And *any* dog, no matter how good or well trained, can bark, snap, growl or bite if sufficiently provoked.
When a dog’s arousal levels are so high, they don’t necessarily know that it’s the owner — they are reacting to the situation. Basically, they see red, and just react to someone touching them. If a person is trying to call them off, and their voices are raised and excited (which could be the case because the whole situation is very loud and you’re trying to be heard), can actually add fuel to the fire. Same could be said when the person on the other side of the fence (this case FedEx Guy) keeps talking to them getting them more and more aroused (look up “Redirected Agression). Sometimes, a dog will redirect onto the other dog as well. The good thing is that the dog has good bite inhibition and did no damage. Also , if a dog’s “job,” is to patrol and protect, they are doing their job.
The FedEx guy should be advised that unknown dogs are not necessarily happy about a strangers trying to grab at them or pet them.
I would suggest training a shut-off command, so that the dogs can respond to an owner when things are so exciting.
While I agree the Fedex driver did not act in the safest way and that all delivery drivers should know not to act in this way. A dog that is snapping at you? Maybe you have some more work to do as well.
Point taken. We do work very hard on all kinds of dog training issues around here. My more experienced dog training friends can weigh in, but I believe it’s pretty common for dogs who are already upset and in a difficult situation to snap at anyone, including their own family members.
The Fed Ex guy is so persistent isn’t he? Once, when I was on a VVVVV important call, I did not answer my door. Because my dog was barking, I let him out back. The Fed Ex guy sees the dog in the backyard and then tries to deliver the package to the backdoor. The dog was about to tear him apart. I had to get off my call and run out there, much as you did. Usually this guy carries treats and such. But how could he not know that it is never a good idea to walk onto a dog’s property when the dog is in attack mode and the owner is nowhere in sight?
People AMAZE me with how stupid they can be sometimes! I don’t understand why anyone would reach out to a barking or freaked out dog? Why, oh why, are people to sense?
Great letter 🙂
I’m surprised by your story. We’ve been incredibly impressed with how well our FedEx and UPS guys deal with our dogs. It must be that we happen to have dog-savvy delivery guys, who always ask to meet the dogs and give them treats from their own hands (to develop a good relationship for the inevitable time that they have an unplanned face-to-face interaction).
I’m glad that no one got hurt – not you or the delivery guy. Bite inhibition is a great thing. When R avulsed a toe nail, he grabbed my hand as I touched it, but only hard enough to tell me NOT to touch it. That event made me realize why we do all the bite inhibition training with our puppies rather than simply forbidding any teeth-skin contact.
You are lucky.
There is one woman FedEx driver who, once I’ve gotten the dogs to calm down, will toss them treats over the gate. She seems to have better dog smarts.
So, I’m not saying ALL are bad. Just this one guy? Mayor of Clueless City.
And, you’re right … teaching a soft mouth is so important.
Norman hates (there is no better word for it) FedEx drivers. It does not make a difference if it is the express driver, ground drive, or freight driver (and who said dogs cannot read!)…he hates them all.
I trained my FedEx drivers to turn their back on Norman…sure enough he stops spitting at them and calms down. Only when he is calm do I allow them to offer him a treat. At first they gave him a treat to try and calm him down…when I pointed out they were rewarding him for his behavior they decided I was right.
Three FedEx drivers trained….thousands to go…
I’m amazed at how few people know how to greet/be around dogs. It’s often other dog owners and dog lovers who make the biggest mistakes. I sometimes feel like the “man’s best friend” phrase/Lassie image has cursed dogs. Crazy worry about litigation doesn’t help either. Dogs don’t like everyone in every situation and I don’t think they should.
Sorry you had to deal with that!
I feel your pain 🙁 I just adopted an 18 month old Belgian Malinois who I have been told is quite fearful of men. The second or third night I had him, one of my 20 something, male tenants reached OVER my fence to try to pet him!!!!! I don’t care if the dog’s body language is friendly, you NEVER reach over or through a fence to touch a dog you do not know!
It depends on where you are but having a beware of dog sign can be used to prove liability if anything ever does happen 🙁 I have a “dogs on premises” sign instead. A fedex driver once went way out of his way to track down a stray dog I had taken in who got out when I was accepting a package once so they aren’t ALL horrible 🙂
delivery people* why did I say “delivery because”? I think I need some more sleep..
You would think that delivery because would understand what an angry/upset dog looks like.. since it is so common for dogs to have issues with them. What a dummy!
Great rant and *so* justified. What was that guy thinking???