While Connecticut residents may think that the dog biting the mailman is a stereotype, there is some truth behind this idea. Because many people expect packages at their door during the Christmas season, it is important to understand why dogs might bite the mailman and what people can do to prevent these incidents from occurring.
While some people might think that dogs with good temperaments would never bite someone who comes to the door, this is not always the case. According to CNN, dogs may sometimes view postal workers who come to the door as a threat, even if the dog is usually well-behaved. Because of this, it is a good idea for dog owners to use caution when a postal worker comes to the door. The director of safety for the postal system has said that people should typically put their dog in another room before they open the door to accept mail or packages. Owners may sometimes need to pick up mail and packages at the post office if postal workers do not feel safe coming to the front door.
Ordering gifts and other items online can bring your dog into more frequent contact with postal workers. The Washington Post says that over the holidays, people usually order more gifts online than they purchase from the store. This means that postal workers typically need to make more home deliveries.
In 2016, dogs bit 6,755 postal workers. The number of postal workers bit by dogs each year has increased since 2013, although this may not be connected to the rise in online shopping. It is recommended that dog owners make sure their mailmen know there is a dog at the house so these workers can take precautions to make sure dogs do not feel threatened.
