# Warning!!! Dangerous dogs.



## Annemarie (Feb 12, 2007)

Okay, all you experts out there may be able to give me some advice on this situation. Right now I am really ticked off.

About a month ago we received an orange card in our mail box:

<span style="color: #FF0000">DOG WARNING CARD

DANGEROUS DOGS

2 LARGE GERMAN SHEPHERDS

Do not deliver mail if you feel endangered by an animal.
</span>
What the f*****

I went to the post office and talked to one of their managers who said that the mail man had tried to deliver a piece of mail that needed a signature but was afraid of the dogs so would not come to our door. He left the little notice in the mail box instead. 

Not a problem, people are afraid of dogs. I asked her why he had not just left the notice instead of leaving a big orange warning card? She just laughed it off and said he is probably just really afraid of dogs. 

My dogs are never outside without me and there has never been any problem with the mail box or mail man. They have an invisible fence that keeps them about 5ft from the mail box. They love everyone and they has never been an issue with anyone.

So yesterday I go to pick up the mail and lo and behold here is another orange card







now I am really pissed. What is this guys problem? The dogs were inside when he delivered the mail yesterday. He has delivered our mail for the past 7 years and now all of a sudden there is a problem.

What do I do?? I don't want my dogs labeled as dangerous dogs when they have done nothing to deserve this.


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## acurajane (May 21, 2008)

Wow that is really pissy for the mail man to do that. Even after you went in and talked to them. Both my dogs lunge at the door and people wont walk down and past our house. What they don't know is that the lab would just lick them to death and the gsd is more scared of them then they are of her. In your case I am not sure what I would do. Try talking to the mailman and if he isnt cooperitive(hope I spelled that ok) then go in again and ask to talk to the boss to see if you can resolve the issue.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

So the dogs are in the house when he comes by? I don't see the problem. Every other house in town has dogs and even the friendly ones bark at the door.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with Liesje. I think your anger is justified though, I wouldn't want a label on my babies either. I think I would sit around and wait for the mail man to come by and then talk to him face to face, I wonder if it is the same guy or if they switched drivers. That happened with my UPS guy, my dogs love the original UPS dude always brought them milk bones, then one day a new guy showed up and practically threw the box five feet in front of my door! Some people are just scared to death of barking dogs. But I would definately talk to the guy face to face and ask him what is up? I think you have every right to know what his problem is, and he needs to know what putting that orange card on your mail box means to you.


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## Jazy's mom (Jan 5, 2004)

I don't understand why they would not deliver the mail if the dogs are inside. Did I miss something? 

My guess is that you have a new driver. If he/she is that scared of dogs, then he/she probably needs to rethink his/her career choice.


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## Nerrej (Jun 23, 2008)

Well they are saying that they needed to deliver something that required a signature right? But I'm guessing the two doggies in the house were barking and spitting all over the window and he was afraid to even ring the bell in fear that the killers will rush out of the house and rip him into pieces. 


lame.


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## acurajane (May 21, 2008)

I might add that the guys who deliver chinese food won't come to our door either. We have to go out and meet them outside while they are sitting in their delivery van. But not bringing mail to the door when the it separated the dogs and them. Its not right


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## Nerrej (Jun 23, 2008)

no, they would have had to open the door for the signature though. Not saying that was a good excuse, I'm just saying I think that was the issue the mail carrier had. He didn't even want to risk the owner opening the door to sign the form.

On the bright side, at least he didn't say 2 dangerous pit bulls.


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## Annemarie (Feb 12, 2007)

Okay, issue resolved!!!! I think.....

I just couldn't let this go and I and the dogs waited outside for the mail man today, both orange cards in hand and both dogs in a sit, stay, at their boundary line.

Well, he back-peddled all the way, I think he was in shock that I was actually challenging the authorities!! I politely asked him why I was receiving the notices, his answer was that it was for the sub carriers who did not know which houses had dogs. I asked if he'd ever had an issue with the dogs, his reply was no, I'm not afraid of them. So, why the dangerous dogs notice?? He stuttered that it was a mistake......

So, we left it that in the future that if something requires a signature that whoever is on the route just leaves a notice in the mail box as I take offence at my dogs being given a label that they do not deserve.

Yeah, and kudos to the UPS man, they know the sound of his truck and wait at the end of the driveway for their treat!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent.


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## Nerrej (Jun 23, 2008)

glad to hear it worked out.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

That is crazy 
Good for you that you and pooches were waiting for him 
wow I would have gone off


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Glad you resolved this!!!! 

My mail carrier knows that if we have to sign for something we will put the dogs in the fenced yard before answering the door. Kayos and Havoc are fine and very obedient at the door but Max has always been a bit of a question mark with strangers at the door. So he goes to the yard


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I had a letter carrier recently who left our mail scattered on the steps. The front door was open because it was a nice day, but we have a very heavy looking metal type storm door. Ginger (my Golden Retriever) saw her coming and was standing inside the door barking. The letter carrier walked up the steps and then saw my dog and threw the mail on the ground and left. I was sitting in the living room so I saw her but she didn't see me because of the angle.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Glad to hear it's resolved. The carrier isn't suposed to put the card in your mailbox, they're suposed to keep it with your mail and put it back in the truck for the next carrier. 

Lady who used to own my house had a mail slot inside the front porch. Luther would get angry so I put a box outside the porch. Occasionally, he was on his run when the mail came at whatever time the carrier felt like it. His run wouldn't allow him within 10 feet of the box but still the carrier flipped out.

The post office refused to deliver my mail until there was a box on the corner of the property out of the dog's site.

Lovely.

6 or 7 years later, the box had been broken and the dog had died. Still, sub carriers are walking around with the orange card that says 'Dangerous Dog - Luther - black German Shepherd' No mention of Morgan who out of the pair, she was more likely to bite someone.

For a year, I tried to get the postal supervisor to come to my house to see I have a fence (been a fence for 5 years) he kept blowing me off. Finally I got the regular carrier to tear up the card and start delivering to the box right outside the porch. 

Bureaucracy - should be spelled bureaucrazy!


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## Annemarie (Feb 12, 2007)

Wow, SunCzarina, I thought I had it bad!!!!

Wonder if it's just RI bureaucrazy!!!


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Yea! UPS. My DH wks for them. He used to drive a route and kept dog treats in his truck! He loved handing them out. One of his favs was a Great Dane that would climb right on up in his truck! 

Now he is on the road with a tractor trailer. 

Sounds like the postal worker was being a little lazy!


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## caligirl07 (Sep 21, 2007)

Ok, something similar happened to me. 
I went to check our mailbox, which is about 20m from our house, and found an orange card on the ground reading " Dangerous Dogs", German Shepherd".
I was also very upset, and I figured mailman lost it by accident. So next day I waited for him and asked him about it. He said, he lost that card indeed, and told me that it is normal procedure they have at post office. Even though someone has small dog and harmless dogs, they have that card, he said, that lots of people got offended, but it is just how they do it at post office. You should probably meet the mailman guy and talk to him.


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## grmnshpd21 (May 5, 2005)

I understand that the post office should probably have a way of communicating that there are dogs on a route, but why do these cards have to claim they are "dangerous" if there has never been an issue with them? Why couldn't it just state what kind of dog lives there to give the mail carrier a heads up without having to label them as dangerous? I'd be offended too if I found something like that on or in my mailbox.


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## blueshepherd (Sep 7, 2008)

My mom was taking a nap one day and had left the front door open. There was a glass door. The mailbox was right next to the door and when the mailman went to put mail into the box my boxer decided he was coming in so she opened the door and laid him out. All she did was make him fall but it scared him to death and she got maced. We had the cops and dog warden and everything there. They saw that she wasn't aggressive but was protective. I had to keep all doors closed for the time that the mail ran or they wouldn't deliver. I am not sure if that would work for your situation but it might be a bargaining tool.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: AnnemarieWow, SunCzarina, I thought I had it bad!!!!
> 
> Wonder if it's just RI bureaucrazy!!!


Quite right then. Everyone's nephew needs a job.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Not just RI. We're currently involved in a dispute with our mail carrier about whether or not one of our dogs was loose. Everyone who was there agrees it was my next door neighbor's dog (and came out of my _next door neighbor's _house) but she's got this idea and will not be deterred from it. It's SO frustrating. Because I have Shepherds and because I do rescue people assume that all stray dogs come from here. Nevermind that none of my dogs ever run loose, ever ever ever, and our family is the one returning everyone else's stray dogs to THEM.









Then today I was walking Grace and Leo, both in heel position and perfectly relaxed, and this other mail carrier says "have you got a good hold on them??? I don't want them to eat me up!!!" 








I understand that some people are afraid of dogs. I really do. But if a person is keeping their dogs controlled and confined, I do not understand why these kinds of comments are any more appropriate than me seeing him as a man and going "You stay over there!!! I don't want you to attack and rape me!!!" 

I'm starting to get a real chip on my shoulder about these mail carriers! I did seasonal deliveries for UPS. I swear, we weren't like this!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Ya know, I have mixed feelings about this. First, how does the mail man know that he is safe all the way to the mail box if the fence is invisible? 

Second, on this site we are often saying that invisible fences will be breeched if the prize is good enough. I just wonder what kind of horror stories mailmen have about invisible fences. 

I am glad that it is resolved, but if someone is afraid of your dogs, then there is a common courtesy to provide people with some security. I do not think an invisible fence is security at all. 

You can expect a mailman to give a poodle or a Yorkie a free-card until the **** thing snarls, snaps, or bites the guy. But no mailman should assume a GSD is a nice dog until it snaps at, snarls, or growls at him. There are way too many stupid, ignorant owners who allow mailmen to get bitten by their dogs. And a whole bunch more that a clueless and do not bother to train their dogs. 

It is great that your animals are trained and supervised -- a winning combination. But this guy just can't count on that. 

I am equally amazed at people who are the exact opposite. Who walk right up to your dog, stretch out their hands and pet it. Or who reach into your car to pet the doggy. I had one even walk into my kennel with Frodo. I was moving, moved the dog first, and this yayhoo walked right into his kennel to pet him. I was staring out my window and this guy I barely knew was INSIDE my kennel with my AGGRESSIVE dog!!!


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## Redbug (Dec 18, 2007)

Just reading about your episode Anne. It has gotten me to thinking...uh oh! I have also noticed the difference in attitudes between the Post Office and UPS. Here's my take. I think as Federal Employees go, the idea of safety is ingrained over and over to the employees. It is one of the latest fads in the Govt. Safety becomes in itself a major factor with productivity, and some of the employees use that system to their advantage.

UPS is a private company and must be efficient to make a profit. My pup also loves the UPS guy! That's because the UPS guy has made an effort to meet with me and my pup and become friends. That is being efficient. The UPS guy does have milk bones! 

I am just pointing out 2 different systems and maybe why you got the notes from one outfit and not the other. It's not your pup...but the person delivering and the type of system they work under. I am a federal employee and see this type of stuff happen every day...It's a shame.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I think it also depends on where you live.

We now live in a very rural area and most people here have dogs - there are probably more dogs in the county than there are people. At any given day, I can drive up the main road and find three places that sell dog boxes and at least five pickup trucks with dog boxes in the back for hunting dogs.

Like most people here, our mail lady has dogs and likes dogs. She's always happy to talk about dogs and ask whether she can pet. Abby would probably crawl into the truck with her if she were allowed to.

Where we lived before was in the city and in an apartment complex. While the immediate neighborhood was dog friendly and plenty of people had them, the general area was not, and a lot of the mail folks were wary and scared of dogs on their route.

That particular mail route we were on had two mail deliveries a day. A morning package / parcel delivery and then regular mail around early afternoon. The afternoon guy was really nice and liked dogs, but the morning package lady was frightened of dogs to the point where if your door had a pet permit sticker on it, she would knock and step back onto the stairway, then make you come into the hallway and close your apartment door before she would give you your package. Even without ever having seen the dog or knowing whether the apartment has a dog or a cat.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

Ironically I live in a rural area where the homes are on large parcels so they mailboxes are grouped together in a community set of boxes, we all have a key to a box. They moved these boxes right in front of my house and one day when I was in the barn heard my dogs barking ( I have 4 German Shepherds) I went out and commanded them to quiet as the mailman was oputting the mail in the boxes, he told me to leave the dogs alone he had no problem and in fact they moved the boxes there PRECISELY because of my dogs, the boxes were getting broken into and since they relocated them not one box was broken into!!!!


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## Nikkoli110 (Sep 9, 2008)

Auuh I would have been PO'd too! What a bunch of crap! We have made a habit of whenever someone comes to the house (delivery person, Cox cable person, mail deilvery person) we ask if they are ok with dogs, and then let them meet Katie, more for her sake than theirs, just so she knows these people aren't going to hurt us or anything. Glad you got the issue resolved!

And where in RI are you?







I'm in Warwick!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Nerrej said:


> glad to hear it worked out.


This!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

This thread is 6 years old!


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