How to get a dog to stop barking at the postman

The relationship between dogs and mail carriers is complicated.as a common point TV storyalthough it is often played for laughter, Approximately 5,400 postal workers The number of people attacked by dogs in the United States in 2021 alone will be Serious occupational accidents.

Of course, just because a dog barks during a delivery doesn’t mean it will attack you, but it’s a nuisance, Probably nerve-wracking for you, your neighbors, and your postman.

Here’s what you need to know about how to get your dog to quit this part of their routine and why they get so excited about delivering mail and parcels in the first place.

Why does my dog ​​bark at the postman?

Even if your dog is not known for its breed, guard dog or guard dogthey are probably still territorial and consider it their duty to protect their homes and the people there. Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), we learn early on that dogs tend to bark at people they perceive as intruders to make the person go away.

Input: Postmen and others who make deliveries. They come to your house, usually to your door, drop off your mail or parcel, and then walk away.

If the dog barks, it will start barking as soon as the delivery person arrives (or possibly before, if the delivery person can identify the brakes of a USPS or FedEx truck).), they’d think the ferocious squeal did the trick—the postman run away from one’s property—and they once again succeeded in protecting their homes and families.

But what is particularly troublesome in this situation is The postman probably comes to your house six days a week. american kennel club (AKC) notes that it “provides the perfect training stimulus to reinforce this behavior.”

How to stop a dog from barking at the postman

On a daily basis remove mail carrier with them barking, your dog is probably pretty happy with its ability to ward off this persistent intruder. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to stop.

moreover, MSPCA Notewhich is a kind of “alert bark”, a natural behavior, When It cannot be completely eliminated. But you can control it. You can try the following strategies, courtesy of dog experts and animal behaviorists.

have a “quiet” command

of MSPCA Recommendation Teach your dog the “Quiet” command. To do this, have someone walk past your house or start approaching your house. trigger your dog barks When the dog barks at her three or four times, show her a really special treat (chicken, cheese, or something else she likes). When he stops barking for treats, say “Quiet” and then give them a treat.

Give the dog the command “Quiet” and repeat this exercise until the dog stops barking a dozen times. Once your dog has mastered quieting with treats, try using the command without showing the treat and see if it stops barking. A treat as a reward.

according to Dr. Mary Birch, is a certified animal behaviorist and director of the AKC Family Dogs.The key here is to convince the dog that there will be a reward No Fighting back is preferable to the satisfaction of keeping your nemesis away.

make them work

you can also give it a try Your dog is a ‘work’ that keeps them occupied for the time being According to Daily Mail Delivery AKC expertFor example, some people train their dogs to grab a toy and go to another room when a mailman approaches.

Of course, for some dogs, they may not be interested in toys or fake jobs because barking at the delivery man is the number one priority at the moment. real work to do.

Role play

A variation on the “quiet” command strategy. This includes having people the dog doesn’t recognize or friends of yours that the dog doesn’t particularly care about. assume the postman role— approach the door and (if applicable) rattle your mailbox.

Every time someone pretending to be a postman comes to your door, have your dog sit quietly and reward him/her. However, here are the differences: This time, have the stand-in mailman stay at the door until the dog is quiet. This is to convince your dog that barking is no longer an effective way to keep intruders off your property and is not worth trying again in the future.

tire them out

A few Recommended by dog ​​behaviorists Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise before the mailman arrives. It’s not like I can go.

ignore the barking

If you happen to be home when the mailman arrives, try ignoring the dog and its barking rather than rewarding it with attention. Likewise, don’t yell at your dog to stop barking.but there’s a good chance they see it as attention (and/or think you’re playing with them)hence the reward, According to AKC.