Being aware or recognising any unwanted behaviours in your puppy/adolescent dog in their early months/years is of paramount importance to the well-being of others and your dog.
With almost 2,200 dog attack attacks on Royal Mail staff last year and nearly half of these attacks happening at the customers front door!!
The Royal Veterinary College suggested dogs bought in the pandemic had higher rates of territorial behaviour due to not being exposed to strangers visiting the home or strangers in unusual outfits/uniforms.
Coupled with receiving unreliable and potentially dangerous advice on how to rectify a problem ‘online’ – where interaction with other people and dogs remotely can never be replicated.
Territorial behaviour in a dog is instinctive behaviour in some breeds, they naturally like to guard.
But with other breeds, it can be fuelled by early barking at strangers coming to the house or barking at people passing your sitting room window, and if the behaviour is not addressed, the barking can soon increase into a growl and eventually into a nip or bite.
This barking behaviour carries its own rewards . . . your dog barks and the person goes or passes by. Your dog will feel his her behaviour as . . . seeing the person off and this will increase through his successfulness of doing it!
Owning a dog that bites can lead to prosecution, penalties for owners can involve prison sentences, fines, bans on owning a dog or even destruction.
So please recognise early signs from your puppy and if in doubt always contact a professional qualified behaviourist for training.
DOG AWARENESS
Even the most lovable dog can be a danger to postal workers. Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable.
https://www.royalmail.com/personal/dog-awareness
CONTROLLING YOUR DOG IN PUBLIC
It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:
- In a public place
- In a private place, for example a neighbour’s house or garden
- In the owner’s home
The law applies to all dogs.
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public
