Nice mailman...let me lick your hand, please?
Posted on 05/18/2007 10:59:51 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
Dogs Bite Mail Carriers Most In California
(May 17, 2007)--It looks like mail carriers have a better chance of being bitten in California than any place else in America.
As Dog Bite Awareness Week kicks off Thursday, the Post Office is releasing information on where the biggest problems are for carriers, and noting safety tips for dog owners.
The New York metropolitan area had no record of a mail carrier bitten last year.
Santa Ana, Calif. had the most: 96.
In fact, of the top-five most likely places where mail carriers are bitten, three are in California.
One carrier in Long Beach needed 50 stitches in his face after being attacked by three dogs.
He's asking pet owners to train their animals, even if they seem docile.
After the New York metro area, next safest is Alaska, followed by Honolulu, Maine and Montana.
At the other end, following Santa Ana, are Houston, Sacramento, Los Angeles and South Florida.
It's like you know, due to that healthy California lifestyle...like tofu, wheatgrass, vegan hot dogs.
It's like...Californians just taste better to dogs!
Totally tripendicular, dude!
OUCH! Stop it Fido...that hurts!
Nice mailman...let me lick your hand, please?
California has the highest tax bills in the nation and dogs are very aware of that fact as they also know who delivers the tax bill to your house.
All they need to do is to TELL the STUPID mail carriers to bring DOGGIE treats on their routes with them. It cures what ails EVERY stray dog. If not, bonk them with your plastic safari helmet.
My dogs can’t stand the mail man. One of them would definitely attack him if she got out. She’s a little dog with not the greatest teeth, so I don’t think she’d hurt him much. My other dog shows all his teeth at the mail man and barks like crazy. One day he got loose when the mail man came, but he saw the mail man, and he didn’t bother him at all. He didn’t even bark.
Actually, they have a better chance of getting bit in the ass than any place else.
My wife and I were camping in Death Valley (in the spring) and bar b qued some steaks. Next to us was a couple in their mid thirties with two dogs. The dogs were howling and trying to get to our BBQ (they were tethered). When we finished, we offered the left over steaks and bones to the couple for their dogs.Their Comment:
"No thank you. Our dogs are vegetarians."
We still laugh about that one every once in awhile.
The problem is that the mail carriers unwittingly train the dogs themselves. A dog, naturally protective of its own turf sees a stranger, in the person of a mailman, approach its turf. The dog begins to bark, and even when through a door or window, bristles and (in its mind) confronts the mail carrier. The carrier makes his delivery, then *retreats.* The dog assumes the retreat (which it desired) is the result of its confrontational behavior. This is reinforced on a daily basis when the dog's assertiveness is rewarded by the postman's *retreat*.
Whenever I've moved in to a new place, I've made a point of trying to be present when the mailman makes a delivery, being outside and engaging him in conversation with the dogs present. Hopefully, this assuages some of the post officer's apprehensions about the dogs, and lets the dogs know that I, and the property need not be defended from the letter carrier.
I've always felt it's important to keep a dog socialized with people, and take them with me in public as often as possible, whether that be a walk in the park, taking them to an outdoor cafe, etc. Dogs will learn the difference between threatening behavior and normal human interaction, and many times, I've helped dispel people's notions about all big dogs being mean.
In one case, I know of a family who thanked me, and said they had always been afraid of GSD's until they met mine, and based on having met mine, they've adopted on of their own.
Dogs can sense sissies.
What part of the body is “California”?..........Oh that one, no wonder then..........
“It looks like mail carriers have a better chance of being bitten in California than any place else . . .”
First I ever heard that “California” was a nickname for the tush.
Veggie doggies? They are in for some real health problems........
After a hellish day trip to the San Fernando valley yesterday, I’m not surprised. The crowded atmosphere turns people in to animals. It makes sense that actual animals would behave in a more extreme way than normal.
And also in Caleeforneeya, it is more likely that mail carriers will bite dogs than any other state.
You’v been warned before about posting articles like this in the main forum.
Last warning.
AM
The left one, of course. :0)
Those vegan campers should be brought up on animal cruelty charges!
Surely this is not corrected for number of mail stops?
I saw something about this on Nancy Grace not too long ago. The worst breed was Pit Bull followed by Rottweiler (dang, was that total bites or total serious bites?)
Oh well, it was just the raw number of bites as qualified. There are many more Rottweilers than Pit Bulls registered though (this fact was not mentioned on the program). I’m not sure about unregistered dogs though.
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