Does your dog chase the postman

Dogs have infamously chased postman since, it seems, time began. So, why do they do it and how do you curb this practice so that that all-important parcel will be delivered? Dogs can be very aggressive towards visitors so this must be tempered so that you are not forced to put up the puppy for sale sign.

Firstly, dogs attack postman due to their animal instincts with regards to territory. Dogs descended from wolves and, as such, are particularly defensive of their territory. This was essentially for mating and food resources. The aggression often shows itself as aggression towards humans as they think that we are broaching their territory in order to take over their territory.

The delivery practice of the postman only serves to re-enforce this behavior. The dog barks and then the postman leaves. Of course the dog doesn’t know that they are leaving because they have made their delivery. They believe that they successfully protected their territory by acting aggressively towards the person.

One way of avoiding this, is to introduce your dog to the postman. If your dog realizes that the postman is welcome in the territory it may stop acting aggressively when they arrive. Another well known method is to install a small container near your gate filled with treats. Then when the postman arrives he can give the dog treats. In the long run this will mean that the dog will associate visitors with treats and an overall rewarding experience. We tried this method with our dogs litter before advertising boxer puppies for sale in order to make sure that they were safe to be pets. This method worked a treat.