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

Also if you truly are open to everyones views please put your post on mumsnet - but make sure you're wearing your hard hat!

I think the bell at the gate idea is the best! So many wireless ones now and cheap solution too.
If you are out, presumably the dogs are in the house, so win/win!

I too live in a rural spot with a dog. (Only one). I wouldn’t dream of leaving her outside unsupervised. She’s a gentle soul but as her owner I am responsible for her safety and the safety of anyone who comes on to our property. Could you not keep the dogs in until after postie has been?

It doesn't matter what your dog does or doesn't do - you can't expect someone to come into an area where dogs are loose because there is a risk of injury.

You have been very lucky that your previous posties were so amenable.

We don't know the history of the current postie - maybe he had a traumatic bite from a dog when he was a child.

As for your fainting at the sight of blood - there's not much risk of injury there. Some people are petrified of dogs and I'm quite surprised - given that your dogs are 'therapy' dogs that you don't seem to care how much you might be affecting the wellbeing of your hardworking postie. He's just got to put up with it, right? Or he easily just choose to do another job to do because you feel your dogs are not your responsibility.

There are two choices.

1. Keep the dogs out of the garden. (cant they go in the back - also dogs shouldn't be left unsupervised anyway)

2. As PP have suggested put up an enclosed letter box.

Oh I've thought of a 3rd - keep complaining that the postie is the problem and don't change anything. It sounds like you're expecting Royal Mail to change your one for someone who is ok to come in with your dogs.

I have no fear of dogs in general Farmnan having several myself, but I do understand that some people do have genuine concerns.

You wouldn’t want this man to lose his job over this. I suggest you arrange to meet up with him and reach some kind of solution.

I have 2 dogs myself, but I also have a sister who is absolutely petrified of dogs. It wouldn’t matter how many times anyone told her dogs are friendly, she can’t help her feelings. She won’t even see her son’s dog who is very placid. Some people have these fears which seem irrational but which are very real to them (eg spiders).

That said, maybe he is in the wrong job, always supposing he could find something else.

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,is it a bad experience,or something else,plus do those are who are scared ,able to recognise a friendly dog or not,or does it not matter ,and the fear is overwhelming,I am Interested to know!
For me they are such a comfort and joy,it can be lonely in rural communities,and these two give so much,they are so happy to see you,and they think you're wonderfull! They also get people talking,
So I can not understand the fears,and would like to know!
I just feel they are being judged and they have never done anything wrong!

Think you need a big delivery box and/or a bell or something so he can alert you to come and fetch your post yourself from his safe position behind the fence.

The problem is our post is from 8.30 until 3 in the afternoon ,what time do I chain them up?it's not just me who says they are lovely ,our two regular posties are telling royal mail the same ,surely if they have done this route for ten years,and are saying this,does that not count for anything,they are posties too!

Both my dogs have been tested by a dog specialist who past both with flying colours,we have had grandchildren around them all their lives,never ,ever has anything even slightly worrying happened!
Vet said they are best behaved breed to deal with,it's the smaller dogs that are aggressive.
I was at a boot sale last weekend and saw some really aggressive behaviour ,with two dogs in particular,going nuts when they passed each other,these were small breed,no one says anything had it been two staffs or staff involved, everyone would be disgusted and tell me so!

Okay you are entitled not to like any animal,then dont do a job where you come into contact with any!
I faint at the sight of blood,so I wouldn't apply to work in haematology!

If you can't afford a big box then make one yourselves- simple, has common sense flown out of the window?

Don't feel bad Henetha, I only managed a half day delivering leaflets. As I'm terrified of dogs- definitely not a job for me!

Can you fence off part of the garden which is at the front from that round the side and back?
Failing that, how about a swing gate the width of the side garden which can be closed until the postie visits?

As a district nurse we have to phone people who have dogs in houses that we visit and the dogs have to be shut away before we can commence any treatment at all. This is the outcome of a NHS risk assessment. We are not allowed to treat patients with a dog in the room.

I don't have any concerns about your breed of dog but I do think you are being unreasonable to force your postie to enter a garden where there are two dogs running loose. What if one did bite him? He is fully entitled to refuse to enter your garden.

This is a bit like those threads where dog owners feel it isnt right for others to complain about their off lead dog running over and jumping up at people.

Give your postie some respect and make sure the dogs are indoors until your post has been delivered.

My son is a postman, and has been told many times by owners of dogs that their dogs are friendly and placid. To date my son has been bitten twice by "friendly" dogs who wouldn't hurt a fly. If you know roughly when the postman is arriving, chain your dogs up, not everyone are dog lovers.

My husband was a postman for many years and suffered nasty bites from much loved dogs. A complaint was even made against him by a loving owner whose dog tried to get him when he was delivering their mail and failing that, proceeded to rip the postvan's tyres: apparently my husband was 'harrassing' the dog!! A box by the gate solves all the problems or keeping the dogs in at a set time.

I dislike dogs they are germ carriers as well as unpredictable and I would not venture up towards your house either. I think you should fence off the area at the front of your house if you expect your post to be delivered to the door or you should provide a secure box at the gate.

Jennifer Eccles, this breed are not unpredictable,this is on of the common mistakes,if that was was true why are so many staffs therapy dogs like mine,a huge amount are!
I couldn't take unpredictable dogs to lay their heads on laps of old people,or work with kids scared of dogs,
Hardly something a unpredictable could do !

I don’t have your problem with dogs but to accommodate all my parcels and papers I have a Treasure Box (actually says that on it) outside the gate.... we are in a very rural area... and it works.
Many households around here all have Wooden Boxes/Treasure boxes ... and it seems to work well..

This is all very helpful !!! There are lots of ideas, royal mail said they have a duty to bring the mail,but they cannot force him to come in,they said he's in the wrong job,as he will encounter dogs everywhere he goes,the garden is quite big ,and the front gate is about ten feet from the door,we have our touring caravan park in there as well,so fencing not could be possible ,a lot of work,
So maybe the box would have to do , somehow!
I don't know why he is suddenly doing this lane,as we have two who are still doing this route after ten years,he does various days! I asked if he could be moved to another route,they said no,he is also really pissed that we have complained,and has shown it!
We have had so much damaged by him ramming things through the gates,but are being the most inconvenienced,
I understand that some people are not dog lovers,but when they trot out ,tails wagging, to say hello, why that is perceived as threatening,do you think it's the breed? Staffies have a poor reputation,as they are sometimes owned by idiots,we knew both the dogs parents,and our vet ,said he could not reccomend them highly enough ,they are brilliant dogs!
I will be Interested to know your views on Staffies!
Dogs homes are full of them,we were told that they are not in the top 50 biters in the post office lists.
We take them when we use our tourer,and have taken them into pubs etc and people comment how lovely they are,very well behaved,do any of you have Staffies,or have a opinion ?

Agree with comments. Have a shed or an old wheelie bin even with instructions for this "jobsworth" to leave your stuff in. It's like a swimming baths lifesaving instructor frightened of water lol. Complain again and take action ASAP . your dog's are innocent!!

We had that problem in France. Finally, if he had a parcel, the postie would drive up to the house which was some way from the road, sound his horn, and if we didn't come - tough!
We did have a letterbox near the road, and usually he put stuff in there without getting out of the van.
He wouldn't get out of the van.
Our border collie thought it was all great fun - she made the postie run away.
I recently read that posties suffer a lot of injuries from dogs, some really serious.

There are very cheap doorbells around now. Would a bell at the gate to ring in the house help, when you are in, at least?

I'm afraid all postmen will have heard the old 'the dogs are lovely - wouldn't hurt a fly' statements many times, but know to their cost that many dogs, especially your breed are unpredictable.

I'm sure it's not an essential job description for a postman to have to love dogs.

Is there somewhere easily accessible in your farm buildings that post could be left?

A box which can take letters and some packages, so that you only have to collect large parcels, could be a compromise.
Also, there is usually the option to have things re-delivered on another date. Could that be arranged for days when a regular postie is on?

Is this person now doing your (non)-deliveries most of the time instead of the regular posties? If so, why is that?

A fenced area which keeps the dogs away from the entrance and door could be a good idea, depending on your garden layout.