It’s a common scene, played out all over the country on a regular basis – postman or delivery driver comes up the path, the resident dog(s) go ballistic until calmness resumes once the delivery person has left the vicinity and moved on. This scene, however, for many owners fills them with dread, as this scenario triggers more than just growling and barking at the window. Bites, broken possessions, ripped post as well as self-inflicted injuries for the dog, as it clambers at the barriers separating the dog from the source of their discomfort.
Bite-back campaign.
The problem seems to be escalating too. The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) launched a campaign called Bite-back which included objectives that are now additions to the Dangerous Dogs Act, notably, the extension of the law to prosecute if attacks happen on private property. However, despite several amendments to the law, NHS figures show a 22% increase of dog attacks in the last 3 years. The (CWU) estimates over 3,000 postal workers and 100 BT engineers are attacked each year, suffering from minor injuries through to life changing ones. The union suggests that 70% of dog attacks on their workers occur on private property which includes driveways, paths, gardens or private roads.
Are delivery people easy targets?
There can be a number of reasons why dogs react particularly to those in uniform such as the postal worker or delivery driver; a number of which are linked to the dog’s previous experiences. Postal worker comes up the driveway, gets closer to the window/door, dog barks, moments later the post is delivered, and the postal worker walks away from the house. For many dogs, barking at the postman is a learned behaviour – I barked and he/she went away, therefore my barking worked and so the dog repeats the behaviour. For some, the very act can become a self-rewarding behaviour. Dogs that have learned this routine often repeat it for any number of different people who come onto the property. However, things can easily escalate if the barking doesn’t work and there are no barriers between the dog and the delivery person. Many incidents have played out whereby a dog outside begins to bark as they see the ‘intruder’ but rather than turning on their heels and heeding the barks, they continue dutifully to deliver the goods. For some dogs who are acting out of fear or defense of their territory, the barking may well intensify alongside other aggression related behaviours as the distance between the human and the dog decreases, resulting in growling, snarling, potential air snapping and even biting.
Dog body language
One piece of research looked at a sample of YouTube videos where dog bites had been recorded and worryingly uploaded for public scrutiny. Out of the 143 in the sample, the more severe bites were categorised ‘territorial’ or in other words occurred within the boundaries of the dog’s home. Movement by humans was seen 20 seconds before a bite occurred, with the most severe bites directed at humans who went to make contact with the dog or who stood over the dog. For a dog that is already in a heightened emotional state, encroaching on their personal space can make things escalate quickly. It may appear as though aggression occurs very rapidly but there are many different ways a dog communicates their discomfort which we often miss. Growling is not always a pre-requisite to escalating aggression, the same piece of research found that changes in body posture were most likely to be seen - mainly stiffening in the body and turning. Territorial aggression carries risks. Risks of physical injury to humans as well as emotional issues, liability of the property owners and potentially dog relinquishment or worse.
Dog socialisation
A dog showing territorial aggression could either be on the offensive or the defensive, how a dog feels emotionally about the delivery person on their turf is not always black and white. One potential development of this behaviour can be found in a dog’s exposure to different experiences at a young age. If outside experiences were limited, then this increases the potential for dogs to react to anything unfamiliar in their own area. As with all potential behaviour problems, prevention is better than cure.
The best puppy classes, will look at exposure to handling and grooming as well as to different sounds, sights and people, including uniform, hats or bags that might change the shape of a person. Consider the outline of an average person in casual clothes to that of an engineer with a large jacket, heavy boots and hard helmet and the two look very different. For dog owners, socialisation should be more than just meeting other dogs, it is about exposing your dog to as many different things as possible – from men and ladies with hats, to mobility scooters, wheelie bins and traffic. Making these experiences positive is crucial to ensure your dog feels confident when meeting the same thing again in the future.
Removing potential triggers
For owners past this point and with a dog who is reactive to people on the property, employing a qualified behaviourist could be majorly beneficial – every dog’s circumstances will differ and each individual dog’s behaviours will point to the underlying emotional and motivational factors. However, ask yourself – can I remove some of the potential issues that lead to my dog reacting:
Can I ‘block’ their view e.g. frosting at the window?
Can I change where the post gets delivered e.g. an external postbox?
Can I ensure my dog(s) have no access to the doorway e.g. gates, fencing?
Changes like these, although not a complete list, not only reduce the likelihood of unwanted behaviours but help manage the risk to all involved. Subtle changes can go some way (note the emphasis on some way) to altering how your dog feels about the situation too, potentially making them less likely to react. Your postal worker may be very glad you did.
References
· Dog Attacks On Postal Workers CWU ‘Bite-Back’ Campaign. (2018) CWUE5 [online] Available from: https://cwue5.org/2018/04/23/dog-attacks-on-postal-workers-cwu-bite-back-campaign-booklet-version-8-warning-includes-graphic-images-of-example-cases/
· Gov.uk (1991) Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 [online] available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/section/3
· Gov.uk (2014) Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 [online] Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/12/contents
- Health and Social Care Information Centre (2015) Health and Social Care Information Centre (2015) Hospital episode statistics: Provisional monthly topic of interest: admissions caused by dogs and other mammals. [online] Available from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25710440
· Online videos indicate human and dog behaviour preceding dog bites and the context in which bites occur. (2018) Owczarczak-Garstecka, S. et al. Scientific Reports 8 (7174) May 2018 [online] Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-25671-7