Why Dogs Hate Delivery Guys: Unraveling the Mystery!
According to statistics from the United States Postal Workers Union, thousands of postal workers are attacked by dogs each year. Recognizing this risk, insurance companies have jumped on the opportunity to offer specialized "dog bite insurance" policies for postal employees. Even the UK, which is often hailed as a global model for dog ownership, is not immune. The Royal Mail had to halt deliveries to all users in a certain area after employees were attacked by dogs, forcing residents to travel 2 kilometers to collect their mail personally.
Many dog owners can relate to this. Regardless of the breed, even the most docile dogs can become aggressive when they hear a knock on the door. Understanding the root of this behavior requires an insight into a dog's natural instincts.
Before domestication, dogs had a strong sense of territory. In their natural state, each dog is highly selfaware and avoids entering the territory of others, maintaining a peaceful coexistence. If an intruder is detected, the territorial dog will follow a sequence of 1) barking, 2) growling, and 3) attacking to protect its domain, ultimately驱逐 the intruder from its territory.
The domestication of dogs can be seen as a stroke of luck. Before humans learned to domesticate them, wild dogs often roamed around human settlements. Don't assume this was a prelude to war; these wild dogs were attracted to human settlements because early humans would discard parts of their prey that were inedible after hunting. In that era of survival, who knew about environmentally friendly waste disposal?
Our ancestors would discard inedible parts of their prey, such as bones, organs, and fur, around their settlements. Wild dogs were waiting for these delicacies.
These wild dogs gradually considered human settlements as their territory. Whenever the tribe was attacked by wild animals or other tribes, they would sound the alarm.
Over time, humans began to try domesticating these wild dogs. For early humans, these wild dogs surrounding their settlements served as excellent alarm systems. In that era, "public safety relied on barking," and dogs' loud and persistent barks made them the perfect choice.
Even today, dogs retain a high level of territorial protection.
When a delivery person rings the doorbell, dogs may exhibit defensive behavior. Once the delivery person leaves, the dog may believe it has triumphed over the intruder, reinforcing its territorial instincts. If the delivery person returns, the dog might think its previous response was insufficient, wondering why the person is coming back. This could escalate from barking to growling, and if the dog perceives any action as a provocation, it might escalate to an attack. Prepare for the financial consequences.
Change
If your dog exhibits such behavior issues, try the following: each time you open the door to receive a package or greet a guest, let them wait at the door after you open it. Prepare a treat or some dog food, and sit with your dog while they wait. This teaches your dog that remaining calm when strangers are at the door is the path to rewards.
