Postie's and dogs, a war of attrition with my new postie! Advice please!

Having been bitten a couple of times by dogs, one thing I have noticed. Dogs when they are with their owners may be the best behaved and most loving dogs around, but when their owners are not around, they often become over protective and behave like guard dogs.
Many years ago, whilst delivering some milk to a Lady, I asked if I could use her Loo. She had 3 chows which were gorgeous, so friendly, making a fuss of me as we walked into her house. All was well until I tried to get out of the Loo. The 3 of them, waiting outside the door, turned on me baring their teeth and tried to push the door wide open to get to me. The owner, who had gone into the kitchen heard my shouts and managed to call the dogs off. She was absolutely horrified. I did not blame her as it was so obvious that she was unaware what her dogs were capable of, but it was so scary.

I was a Postie in the late 60's and I was walking along a street when a dog saw me and came out barking. The dog ran into the street and was hit by a car! I don't know where he came from as there were no houses nearby but it seems that my uniform set him off!

Having said that, I do not fear dogs although I am not a dog person. I have a good defence against any attacking dog! I roar at them! My kids laugh as the dog yelps and retreats!

My granddaughter gave up her paper round the only job open to her at 13/14 because she was just too terrified by the dogs that flew crashing and barking at the door and although her logic knew they couldn’t get to her the very noise of them pounding and barking agreesivly at the other side of the door made it very uncomfortable for her she stuck it for as long as she could as she desperately wanted to earn some money but was too nervous to continue She knew they weren’t necessarily aggressive dogs but they acted aggressively as she pushed the paper into their domain

I think farmnanJulie has probably gone as she didn't hear what she wanted to hear.

It’s funny jalima how people ask for advice get lots of good suggestions but it’s not what they want to hear how ever nicely it’s put I guess we were all supposed to say horrid postman lovely dogs ( and I m sure they are) but you have to look at the bigger picture
What if she fell and called 999 and the dogs didn’t want to let the paramedics into their territory

They could think they were guarding their mistress.

What has that got to do with it, Bluebelle? That could happen to any dog owner whose dog is in the house with them.

Farmnanjulie said Thanks for all your comments! It's really helping me! I have loads of ideas,I am interested to hear from those who are scared of dogs as well

That sounds like she appreciated advice from people trying to be helpful.
There followed some very critical posts which she didn't appreciate.
No wonder.

But the situation with the postie is nothing to do with being scared of dogs!
As I hope many of the posts above have pointed out.

What about a plastic dustbin? Our neighbour had a collie which liked to take possession and kill any letters which came through the door and was overfriendly and very bouncy with anyone coming to the door if he was outside. So they had a black dustbin (the sort with clips to hold the lid on) just outside the gate with POST written on the top and a couple of bricks in the bottom to stop it blowing away. Worked a treat.

It does seem strange to take a job as a postman if you're afraid of encountering dogs.
Regardless of whether they are friendly or not, a dog bounding towards someone who is afraid is frightening.
I know that spiders can't harm me, but still I wouldn't want one near me.

It does seem strange to take a job as a postman if you're afraid of encountering dogs.

Im not afraid of dogs
Im afraid of the kinda dogs that are owned by people like the OP who watch their dogs through the window when the postie arrives and dont bother calling them in...

You can love and own dogs and still be scared of strange dogs who don't get called away from strangers. That's just being sensible!

Are you a postman, notanan?
I'm quite scared of dogs.
I was going to take my neighbours chihuahua out for a walk whilst she was out for the day last week.
The chihuahua was afraid when I let myself in, and I was afraid I'd get bitten.
So, neighbour came home to find a poo behind her sofa!

Only a tiny poo, MissA. At least it wasn't a Great Dane.

There are several, easy, practical solutions to the little local difficulty. You either chain outside, or keep your dogs inside. Alternatively, you put a post box at the perimeter gate of your property so the postie doesn't need to risk feeling high anxious or worse, being harassed (bitten even) by your dogs.

My work took me into people's homes. I never entered unless the dogs were secured outside the room we'd be meeting in. I have two dogs currently, have often had 3 and I' confident around dogs. confident enough to know that dogs are dogs, no dog is entirely predictable.

The thing about the postie, the window cleaner and others is that they come to the house, they may even knock on the door but they are never allowed in. In the dogs head, their barking kept the danger at bay. So, they repeat the behaviour.
It's so unfair to expect the world to accommodate our dogs. We love them, love sharing our lives with them. Not everyone feels the same. It's simple good manners and also legally expected that we have our dogs under control at all times. The new Act means if we don't, we can be prosecuted.

Good post*Iam*.
My work also took me into people's homes and many of them had a dog. Or two. I'm not afraid of dogs, but aware that they naturally feel protective of their home and their owner.
Several times I had to freeze as a dog, usually an alsation, started to circle me until the owner called it off.

MissA, I appreciate that you were nervous, but surely doing a poo behind your neighbours sofa was a bit extreme !

paperbackbutterfly, you say you dislike dogs as they are "germ carriers", how do you feel about money? More germs on that than the average dog!

I like dogs, and will always pat and fuss friendly ones, but I do not allow them to lick.

Phoenix -

Phoenix! I was almost that frightened..

Phoenix

I agree with the posts advising the OP to take measures to keep the dogs away from the front garden.Even with a wrap around garden, attractive fencing with gates in can easily be put up.
I really like dogs, but don’t like being jumped up on by them or even a strange dog running at me ( friendly or not.)

Are you a postman, notanan?
No, Im just pointing out that being unwilling to work around the OPs free roaming dogs does not necessarily indicate a dog phobia that deems one unsuitable for working in the public where one might expect to encounter well managed dogs.

Oh.

We had a springer spaniel who hated the postwoman and would sit by the front door just waiting to grab the letters and pull them to pieces. If he could he would get out and chase her, it was hell trying to keep him in during the summer holidays with kids at home, he even jumped out the window once to chase her. I ended up having to collect my post. Dogs and posties. grr

bye the way, he never hurt her I think he just liked the chase.