How to Make Friends with the Postman

Perhaps one of the most common canine stereotypes is a dog that barks at or chases the mailman. And this is no fitful image. It really does happen. US Postal Service employees carry an ultrasound or mace spray to ward off attacks and there is talk by some uniformed officers of resorting to stun guns. Why the fascination with mail deliverers and other uniformed visitors? You might well ask. Believe it or not, there is an answer to the question that makes perfect sense … if you're a dog of a certain disposition.

The Nature of the Beast

In fairness, there are two types of dogs that bark when people come near the house – the dominant ones, who engages in alarm barking, and the more fearful ones who bark, lunge, even bite, for fear of their lives. If you are the mailman, it is difficult to tell these two types of dogs apart.

Unbeknownst to you, the former alarm barker is a confident dog signaling to his "pack" that someone is approaching. A sort of "Halt, who goes there," message. If cleared by the owners (the true leaders), such a dog may even be pleased to see visitors, uniformed or otherwise. Fearful dogs, however, are insecure and are sending a much more ominous message, "I don't want you here. Go away or I'll bite you." When the latter dogs are young, they show their true colors show. A person approaches and they back away, barking, and sometimes run for cover. As they grow older, though, there comes a point at which they realize theirs powers of intimidation. Some person, usually one who is not that comfortable around dogs, sees the fearful dog's reaction to them and gives just the subtlest hint of their uncertainty. The dog, always an expert at reading body language, senses the hesitation and grows bolder. It's as if the dog is thinking, "Whatever I am doing seems to be working. I'll try it more often – and more energetically." From these small seeds of victory, monsters can be born.

Why Delivery People?

Now here comes the interesting part. We all know that mail deliverers and UPS men attract the most ferocious warnings, and are attacked more frequently than all other categories of people. Is it the uniform? To a degree, the answer to this question is yes, though it is not the uniform alone that is the problem but what it signifies. What the uniform signals is that the person wearing it comes, does something (like delivering mail), and then leaves. The dog barks, growls, or lunges and the person always disappears. It works every time! The dog builds confidence from these inevitable victories and gains confidence for future occasions. If dogs wore suits, they would have their thumbs hooked under their lapels after such erstwhile victories. Oh, Magoo, they would say to themselves, you've done it again. Of course, the lack of a cause-effect relationship is lost to them and like the cock that takes credit for the sunrise, they are blissful in their ignorance.

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