Dog and the Mail Lady

[ultrarunner]

The aunt of a friend is 85 and has her grandsons dog since he now travels for work.

The dog will act like he is ready to tear you to pieces behind the steel security screen door… at least too me.

The aunt tells the dog to hush and he stops and she say kennel and the dog goes to the crate.

The 4’8 Asian mail lady is terrified of dogs and official USPS notice was sent to the aunt… get rid of the dog or forgo mail delivery along with a letter signed by your Home Owners Insurance provider acknowledging the vicious dog and providing policy and coverage information.

I had to read the letter to believe it.

A dog that has never been out and confined in the home behind a steel security front screen door doesn’t come across as a a threat anymore than a tiger at the zoo… to my thinking.

I can see if the dog was free range or had a history and could not be controlled it would be a different matter.

My advice is to re-home and make the problem go away… she says the dog is sweet to her and very much loved by her grandson…

Forwarding the Post Office Letter to the insurance company is asking to be cancelled in my opinion.

Any thoughts?

Now two weeks with no mail delivery and counting… the lady does not drive and walks with a cane.

She is retired living on social security in her modest home of 45 years in San Jose California…

 

[scootr]

The aunt of a friend is 85 and has her grandsons dog since he now travels for work.

The dog will act like he is ready to tear you to pieces behind the steel security screen door… at least too me.

The aunt tells the dog to hush and he stops and she say kennel and the dog goes to the crate.

The 4’8 Asian mail lady is terrified of dogs and official USPS notice was sent to the aunt… get rid of the dog or forgo mail delivery along with a letter signed by your Home Owners Insurance provider acknowledging the vicious dog and providing policy and coverage information.

I had to read the letter to believe it.

A dog that has never been out and confined in the home behind a steel security front screen door doesn’t come across as a a threat anymore than a tiger at the zoo… to my thinking.

I can see if the dog was free range or had a history and could not be controlled it would be a different matter.

My advice is to re-home and make the problem go away… she says the dog is sweet to her and very much loved by her grandson…

Forwarding the Post Office Letter to the insurance company is asking to be cancelled in my opinion.

Any thoughts?

Now two weeks with no mail delivery and counting… the lady does not drive and walks with a cane.

She is retired living on social security in her modest home of 45 years in San Jose California…

Just absurd. Call the postmaster and explain that the dog is behind a locked door inside the residence. It never goes out unless it is leashed and has no history of biting or attacking anyone. Offer to put mailbox up further from the house if possible.

 

[ultrarunner]

Demanding Insurance Information absent a injury plus requiring the information be signed off by the insurance provider strikes me as a huge over reach…

I have no qualms about dogs approaching in a threatening manner unrestrained in the open leading to mail suspension… but a dog secured inside the home behind locked doors?

There is no way that dog would let me enter the home… but, a word from grandma and the dog stands down…

Incident happened when we had a mini hot spell a few weeks back where the front door was open for ventilation and only the steel security mesh door locked…

 

[rontaki]

Who are your (her) congress representatives? Time for a little conversation with higher-ups!

 

[ultrarunner]

In reality I think the grandson has put a huge burden on grandma… she should not be dealing with this and I said as much…

I don’t know if anything thing else will happen beyond no mail delivery as nothing has happened.

Dad had a rural mail carrier friend years ago who said the secret is making friends with the dogs on his route… he had biscuits and the few dogs waited for their treat but I realize probably few like that today…

 

[Eagle1]

In reality I think the grandson has put a huge burden on grandma… she should not be dealing with this and I said as much…

I don’t know if anything thing else will happen beyond no mail delivery as nothing has happened.

Dad had a rural mail carrier friend years ago who said the secret is making friends with the dogs on his route… he had biscuits and the few dogs waited for their treat but I realize probably few like that today…

Had to make a ups driver stop that biscuit thing years ago. Had a big black mutt that would stop him any where within a mile or so to make sure to get his treat. Then ride home and refuse to leave the truck until he got another......
Oh and would scale the fence to meet the truck.
None of the current dogs will take treats from strangers even while on lead. Good thing.

 

[ultrarunner]

Good Point…

Still getting regular deliveries?

 

[jyoutz]

Demanding Insurance Information absent a injury plus requiring the information be signed off by the insurance provider strikes me as a huge over reach…

I have no qualms about dogs approaching in a threatening manner unrestrained in the open leading to mail suspension… but a dog secured inside the home behind locked doors?

There is no way that dog would let me enter the home… but, a word from grandma and the dog stands down…

Incident happened when we had a mini hot spell a few weeks back where the front door was open for ventilation and only the steel security mesh door locked…

I agree with Scooter. Just go to PO and talk directly to the post master.

 

[anomad]

In reality I think the grandson has put a huge burden on grandma… she should not be dealing with this and I said as much…

I don’t know if anything thing else will happen beyond no mail delivery as nothing has happened.

Dad had a rural mail carrier friend years ago who said the secret is making friends with the dogs on his route… he had biscuits and the few dogs waited for their treat but I realize probably few like that today…

The delivery folks around here all carry dog treats, but they won't give one out unless they have permission (who knows what they do when I'm not watching?). My dogs are very rarely out of my sight. But they do run loose while we walk so they can hunt and do dog things.

I'd take up Granny's issue with the post office and tell them how unreasonable the mail carrier is.

 

[Jstpssng]

None of the current dogs will take treats from strangers even while on lead. Good thing

Something I would like to do... although it'll be difficult with a lab.
How did you train him?

 

[lman]

My mailman never gets out of the car and my old dog stays near the house. He doesn't make it to the road where the mailbox is very often.

 

[Eagle1]

Something I would like to do... although it'll be difficult with a lab.
How did you train him?

My Anatolians do not trust anyone by instincts. They just will not come near anyone unless introduced and even then it may take many visit to warm up (depends on person). Only one is remotely food driven so it comes easy.
Never met a Lab that would skip a treat.....

 

[Sigarms]

In reality I think the grandson has put a huge burden on grandma… she should not be dealing with this and I said as much…

My line of thinking is the dog belongs to the grandmother, dog loves grandmother and keeps grandmother company, so grandmother is NOT getting rid of the dog. You're right, the grandson did put the burden on his grandmother, but grandmother doesn't mind it.

My dad never liked cats. When he came to live with us, he had to share the basement with a cat. End of the day, it was a love hate relationship, but my dad didn't want that cat to leave, even when we asked after she bit him (not hard, but enough LOL).

 

[fidowanttobe]

We had a Karen rural carrier that refused to deliver large packages to the house if it didn't fit in the XL mailbox because of the dogs. (Saw her once wing a package out the window!)
We now have a pleasant younger gal that is friends with our friendly pups. All the delivery drivers are.
Wishing you luck with the postmaster and I agree that that was a lot to ask of Grandma but now she's invested.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’m not sure how it will go down… the home is 1950’s residential tract of about 1100 square feet 3 bedroom 2 bath homes…

All the mailboxes are about 6’ from the front door… it’s a walking route.

My neighborhood has curb side mailboxes and I never have anything important sent to my place as postal theft is a problem with curb boxes.

Dog listens to grandma but only about 4 months together…

In California the prospect of loosing insurance and or the home over a dog is real…

Odd with mail delivery suspended the postmaster had no issue delivering the dangerous dog letter to the home mailbox…?

 

[Jstpssng]

My neighbor just lost their dog. They live on a busy highway (by my standards) and the UPS driver always gave him treats.
One day there was a substitute driver who parked on the opposite side of the road and the dog's gate wasn't closed. He ran over for a treat, right in front of a tractor trailer.

 

[Eagle1]

My neighbor just lost their dog. They live on a busy highway (by my standards) and the UPS driver always gave him treats.
One day there was a substitute driver who parked on the opposite side of the road and the dog's gate wasn't closed. He ran over for a treat, right in front of a tractor trailer.

There is the rub with that whole treat thing. Not a busy road but still....
My dog should not "attack" but alert barks are rewarded. Not going near "strangers" unless invited is also rewarded.
I do not want accidents but want to be alerted of anyone coming into the driveway. Now once anyone deviates from normal and heads past the house the tone and attitude changes. Most likely you will not be allowed to exit your vehicle without a challenge.

 

[ultrarunner]

I know a few dogs that go full on attack if the person approaching is hooded…

See someone in a hood, even the owner and go to full alert.

My co worker had to pull the hoody off his head and say the dogs name and all was good… I’ve heard similar to those in any kind of uniform.

What led to my post is a dog 100% inside the home behind a locked steel security door posses no physical threat… maybe it’s psychological?