Really angry with my postie!

Takara goes mental at the postman and now goes mental at anyone coming near the house.

I've tried calming her down and could never understand why she's still barking madly after the post has been delivered.

Today I found out why
Our lovely postie who always gets on with the dogs and who I've apologised to in the past about Takara and he's been fine about it, has been winding her up

I know it must be a bit of a laugh on a cold rainy morning but I've been trying to teach Takara there's nothing to worry about when the postcomes and I realised today when I looked out of the window that he posts the letters, and she barks, then he goes to the end of the drive and waves at her (she sticks her nose and one eye out of the letterbox) and then comes back down the drive and bends down to the letter box to wind her up :smt021

Unfortunately we don't use our front door where the letter box is as it doesnt' open easily, otherwise I'd open it quickly while he was bent down at the letter box winding her up but he's really made me angry!

The amount of times he's let me apologise knowing that it's his fault!!

Trouble is, I'm too polite to say anything as I'm 18 and he's the same age as my dad and I feel stupid trying to tell older people that they're being childish and can they not do it...

I'm so, so angry and upset, how the heck am I meant to train her and make her believe that the postie isn't evil when he's winding her up like that?!!!

Sorry... just needed to get that off my chest.

I'd have a quiet word with him... tell him to wize up or you'll report him... or if you feel awkward with that then leave a note for him... Alternatively you could be waiting with a little surprise of your own when he comes back for the wind up.. only be careful not to get yourself into bother

Stick a note on the door!


Or else wait until he does it again, then knock on the window at him with a questioning look

Can't believe he would do that! I'm sure he wouldn't like to be accidentally bitten by T if he put his hand through the letter box!

It is possible that he thinks he's just playing with her & doesn't realise that he's causing problems. As Ian says, I would try speaking to him about it - just say that you realise he is only playing, but that it is making her barking worse so would he please just post the letters and ignore Takara.

Babe if you feel funny about saying anything, why don't you ask your dad to have a quiet word, saying that you don't want anything to happen like T getting cross and biting him....

Yeah I'll have to try and have a word... I hope he is just playing and doesn't realise what he's doing... but I'm sure he has dogs of his own...

Thanks guys - am I right to be narked though??

Isochick - I did think about a note, and will put one up if I don't manage to catch him to talk to. What makes me angry is, if he DID get bitten by either of my dogs (although I doubt she would bite but she grabs the post so could by accident) it'd be MY fault!!

Lottie,
First, from the way you've written your post it's clear you're able to express yourself well and that means you should be able to do the same to the postman. Age should not be a barrier, but what you must guard against is letting the conversation get out of control. As Ian has written calmy speak to him. It might help if you take the view he's doing it 'cos he likes dogs. Then just move on to the statement that it's not helping with her trainning.
Likewise cold rainy mornings have nothing to do with it. He's doing the job to earn money, not to have a laugh, but that is something you shouldn't mention.

I would have a quiet word, dont let the age difference bother you, you know never know he might be that shocked that someone young said something it might shock him into doing something. If you still dont feel like doing that a note is a good idea. You have every right to be annoyed, because if if he wound her up and she bit him its you at fault when it should be the idiot who should no better.

[QUOTE=Lottie;945913] am I right to be narked though??

QUOTE]

Yes, I think so. Hopefully a word by you or your Dad will sort it out - if he has been doing it innocently, he will stop & if he has been doing it deliberately, now that he knows you know what he's doing, he should also stop (and if he doesn't, you could always report him).

That's what I was thinking - all she needs to do is try to grab what she thinks is post...

We had a run-in with our postie when Max was about 6months old, and we took him out on his lead to meet him, so he wouldn't be so scared/defensive.

I'd opened the front door to sign for a parcel (babygate behind me) and Max was barking at him. The postman told me I shouldn't have such a viscious (sp?) dog in the house and that it barks at the post-people and had escaped once and bitten another postman. Apparantly there was a warning note in the delivery office about our house!!

I was really confused and explained to the postie that we'd only been living in the house about 3 months (at the time); that Max was a baby (6 mths) and had never escaped, or bitten anyone!

I ended up putting his lead on and letting him meet the postman, and asked for the sign in the office to be taken down, as it obviously didn't relate to us...

(Max now saves his barking for the Tesco delivery man, who he tried to snap at last week )