Dog Blog

According to Times Dispatch.com, in 2008, more than 3,000 postal employees across the U.S. were bitten by dogs. Canada Post Delivery Personnel reported over 500 dog bite incidents in 2007 (Canadian Union of Postal Workers).

The statistics are pretty scary (especially if you include the general public), and if you spend a little time reading the stories submitted to www.postalworkersonline.com/dogsattack.htm then the picture is even more terrifying. If you have ever been bitten by a dog then you can certainly appreciate the kind of pain those big and small can inflict.

With this in mind, and in support of National Dog Prevention week in the U.S., here then, are some useful tips by those in the line of fire on a daily basis – postal workers.
•Don't run past a dog. Its instinct is to chase and catch prey.
•If a dog threatens you, don't scream; avoid eye contact. Stand still until it leaves or back away slowly until it is out of sight.
•If you think the dog is about to attack, put something between you and the dog, such as a backpack or bike.
•Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that is tied up or confined.

One other piece of advice that I would include in this list is to make sure that when you do approach a dog make sure that your petting hand comes up under the dog’s nose and not over as it can otherwise frighten the dog.

These postal workers also provide great tips to owners on how to properly care for their pets in a way that protects them while doing their job.

How to be a responsible dog owner
•Get obedience training for your dog to teach it proper behavior and help you control it.
•Keep your dog inside and away from the door when the mail carrier comes.
•Spay or neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to bite.

This information not only helps owners like you and me in preventing potentially dangerous situations but also serves to reduce the statistics reported each year.