Pissed Off/Venting

[McKBrew]

Got a new dog a couple weeks ago. Normally he goes outside to use the bathroom and is on a leash. This is a small dog, about 10# soaking wet. Today he went out without one because he had recently had a bath. The mail lady pull up and asks if he will bother her. I say no, and she continues to do her job.

The dog is taking care of his business, nowhere near her. He barks at something and still isn't anywhere near her. She starts mumbling about going to the military housing office and how she can't deliver mail under these conditions, starts tossing mail back in the truck. I ask, "are you not going to deliver mail because of the dog, and she is saying yes". So I pick up the dog to take him in the house and let her know if she was seriously afraid of the dog she could let me know.

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, blah blah, I was bit last week". Okay, maam I'll take the dog in and you can do your job. She continues complaining and packing up as I am walking in the door. I am mad because I tried to accomodate her and she is giving me an attitude, so I raised my voice a bit and mentioned calling her supervisor. Still, trying to be receptive to her needs, I take the dog in. She drives off without delivering the mail.

I call my housing office to let them know what is up, but they don't hire the mail carriers so they can't help me. But, ten minutes later they are knocking on my door, and they don't want to hear my side of the story at all. "She is terrified of dogs". My response, "she could have said something in the beginning before she started filling the boxes, I would have taken the dog in sooner."

"You are in violation of your lease, the dog must be on leash at all times. She has no obligation to tell you she is scared of dogs." "And by the way, I overheard the neighbors talking, even though I didn't talk to them, and they are all wondering why you got angry with her." (So you didn't talk to them but.....)

OK, I can accept that the dog was supposed to be on a leash, honestly I didn't know. When I saw other dogs around the neighborhood without a leash, I assumed as long as the dog wasn't bothering anyone it was fine. I'll accept that lesson and make sure the dog is on a leash.

What I don't appreciate is someone not being clear about their concern for their "safety". Regardless of whether or not I was in violation of the leash rule, I feel that she could have been more clear in the beginning about her fear of dogs. I understand she asked about the dog, and when I answered her initial question and she continued to do her job, I figured I was OK. If she wouldn't have been rude toward me, I might not have raised my voice to her(I probably shouldn't have to begin with, but I have a real hard time holding it in when I'm getting attitude).

I also don't appreciate the fact that my housing office had no interest in listening to me at all. Wouldn't help me when I called them, but raced over here when she went to their office. No desire to listen to me at all, but no problem taking my rent every month. You never see them driving around at other times enforcing all of the other rules that are in effect.

Okay, I feel a bit better now. Whether you agree with me or not thanks for listening.

 

[Soulive]

Definitely keep the dog on a leash at all times, for their own sake if nothing else. My dog goes out right after baths (he always pees right after) and he's always leashed. Sounds to me like she was understandably sensitive to the situation. Honestly though, who's afraid of a 10lb dog???

 

[McKBrew]

Definitely keep the dog on a leash at all times, for their own sake if nothing else. My dog goes out right after baths (he always pees right after) and he's always leashed. Sounds to me like she was understandably sensitive to the situation. Honestly though, who's afraid of a 10lb dog???

Now that I know the rule, the leash will always be on. :rockin:

 

[Soulive]

Now that I know the rule, the leash will always be on. :rockin:

Yeah but rule or no rule, wherever whenever I'd leash the dog. If they're not fenced in, you never know what could happen. My tree-hugging friend felt that leashes went against his dog's natural way of life. Unfortunately he learned the hard way that his dog didn't understand cars can hurt him. My dog, for one example, would chase squirrels all day long regardless of the consequences. My feeling is, other than not wanting the dog to get in trouble, I've spent too much money on him to be careless...

 

[McKBrew]

I'm with you 100 %. Like I said, it's not a normal situation for him to be outside unleashed and you are right about the safety aspect of the dog as well. He is starting to explore more and did run across the streat just before the incident.

I was definately not exercising the best level of judgement there. I'm just irked about the whole incident in general, as well as the fact that now I am on the housing office's radar as well. Although I'm probably stressing a bit, sometimes once an issue arises, they'll spend more of thier time "watching you." And I pissed off the person that delivers my mail, even though she did fill the box today. The mailbox is in front of my house, so I should probably swallow my pride a bit, and try to mend the fence with her when she stops by tomorrow.

 

[Soulive]

I'm with you 100 %. Like I said, it's not a normal situation for him to be outside unleashed and you are right about the safety aspect of the dog as well. He is starting to explore more and did run across the streat just before the incident.

I was definately not exercising the best level of judgement there. I'm just irked about the whole incident in general, as well as the fact that now I am on the housing office's radar as well. Although I'm probably stressing a bit, sometimes once an issue arises, they'll spend more of thier time "watching you." And I pissed off the person that delivers my mail, even though she did fill the box today. The mailbox is in front of my house, so I should probably swallow my pride a bit, and try to mend the fence with her when she stops by tomorrow.

Yeah man, I've learned the hard way that you catch more flies with honey. Either way though, she HAS to deliver your mail...

 

[gman]

not entirely true. I've heard of mail carriers refusing to deliver to an entire *street* because they were afraid of 1 dog.

 

[Pugilist]

I have known people who are PETRIFIED of even the smallest dogs. I guess it can be chalked up to a phobia of some sort, I have terrible arachnophobia so it may be the same.

I have also seen alot of dogs hit by cars in my line of work. The worst was a pure bred choco lab that was 4 months old. Be careful with your pup, they are a member of the family!

 

[PeteOz77]

NO ONE who is afraid of dogs should get a job delivering residential mail. Dogs are a fact of life in residential areas, and they of course do not like strangers near their area. I am not saying I like barking dogs, or dogs that get excited when strangers come near, but they are a fact of life. If this is a problem for you, get a route that delivers to office building, or stay back at the post office where it's "safe"

A postal worker in a residential neighbourhood that is afraid of dogs is like a fisherman being afraid of sharks. I know you want to go to work, but if you are afraid of the hazards of your chosen profession.... change professions, or learn to deal with and avoid the hazards.

That being said, you were 100% in the wrong to have your dog out without a leash. She may have overreacted, but if you were not in violation of the local codes, there would have been no issue.

I would apologise and reassure her that the dog will NOT be out without a leash in the future.

 

[uglygoat]

you're dog is the size of local vermin; racoons, sewer rats, ground hogs, etc. the carrier should chill out imo. you can at least pick your rabid animal up, and take it inside.

that said, train the dog to fetch the mail. that'd be hilarious.

 

[DeathBrewer]

damn ankle-biters can be quite ferocious

seriously, tho. i understand your frustration. no reason she couldn't at least voice her concern. you're not a mind reader and you know your dog isn't dangerous.

tell everyone to FedEx to you from now on

and go paperless. who needs mail.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Yeah but rule or no rule, wherever whenever I'd leash the dog. If they're not fenced in, you never know what could happen. My tree-hugging friend felt that leashes went against his dog's natural way of life. Unfortunately he learned the hard way that his dog didn't understand cars can hurt him. My dog, for one example, would chase squirrels all day long regardless of the consequences. My feeling is, other than not wanting the dog to get in trouble, I've spent too much money on him to be careless...

The only time I ever walk my dog on a leash is when we are camping. If I'm walking her near home, she is never on a leash. She knows not to get too far ahead of me, and if there is a car coming, I call her and she comes and sits by me until I tell her she can go again. And yes she is a hunter and would chase squirrels all day, too. She just knows who the boss is and who puts food in her bowl. Oh, and I am definitely not a tree-hugger.

 

[Ryanh1801]

That is ridiculous. Some people just want something to ***** about... On that note, I still do not see how people are scared of dogs.

 

[Fingers]

Sounds to me like she wasn't interested in resolving the situation. She wanted to play the victim and have her day in court. I'd retaliate with a call to her supervisor and tell them that while you recognize that the tiny dog should have been tied up, her failure to simply tell you of her concerns escalated the situation. She had a choice to resolve it amicably but she chose to do so confrontationally. Perhaps they'll keep an eye on HER now. I can't stand people like that.

 

[PeteOz77]

I'd retaliate with a call to her supervisor

And then from then on, you will have to go to the post office to pick up your mail :cross:

 

[Fingers]

And then from then on, you will have to go to the post office to pick up your mail :cross:

Not likely. The carrier does not have the discretion to deny service based on personal feelings. She doesn't deliver the mail, you pick up the phone. Just be damn sure you keep the dog tied up.

 

[shafferpilot]

Check for the EXACT wording of the rules. in my area we have what one police officer referred to as a "leash law" however, the word leash was never used in the law at all. In fact the law states that the dog must be under direct control of the handler at all times in public. The wording of the law seems to say that leaving a dog outside alone, while on a leash or not, is not legal, but no one cares about that.

In my opinion, a dog that has any tendency to run off has not been properly trained. Just buying a dog and feeding it does not mean that you know how to properly care for a dog. Train the dog how to behave, don't lean on crutches like choker chains and the like.

My pup has been strictly trained since he was tiny. No, not violently, just strict. SWMBO used to get mad at me for being so strict to that cute little guy, but it has paid off in spades. When we are outside he responds instantly to voice commands (most of which are sounds not words). When we walk, he is right at my side and slightly behind me. Distractions like other dogs, people, cars, etc. occasionally cause him to turn his head away from me. When that happens, I scold him and give his leash a tug. Using a leash as a tether is not correct. The dog should never pull on the leash at all. The leash is a way to communicate with the dog, to tell it what you want it to do. I could walk him without one and stick to the vocal commands, but he's not giving me 100% of his attention yet, so I'll keep using the leash until he does.

When I let him into the yard, however, he's never been on a leash. When he was a pup, I'd let him wonder around, and when he started to walk more than 15 feet away from me, I'd give him the command to return to my side. After doing that about a thousand times in every possible location in the yard, he figured out that there was invisible boundaries that he's not allowed to cross. now he walks straight out into the yard, but turns when he reaches the "boudary" line. It's rare that I have to tell him to turn around anymore.

Dogs that are out of control will bolt at a moments notice. THAT is what makes a dog a hazard to itself and others. If a leash is used as a tether, what happens when you drop the leash, or it breaks?? Also, those dogs are stressed out, because no one is telling them how to behave. A dog that has to figure out behavior by itself is unhappy and unhealthy. One that knows YOU are the one in charge is relaxed and happy. In fact when they encounter an out of control dog, they'll go the opposite direction, because they sense how upset and dangerous that dog is. leash or not.

Sorry for the rant, but paranoia about dogs is a direct result of bad training or a complete lack of it. That makes people like me have to deal with police officers, condo associations and the like. Having a dog is serious business. If you don't have the time or desire to do it right, don't do it at all.

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

That is ridiculous. Some people just want something to ***** about... On that note, I still do not see how people are scared of dogs.

In defense of the mail worker, they are in a profession that carries one of the highest risks of dog bites. As a veterinarian, I know that because of rabies laws (at least in Texas) all dog bites must be reported to the local rabies control officer and the dog must be either placed in a 10 day quarantine or euthanized and sent off for rabies testing. Meanwhile the person bitten must wait the 10 days for the quarantine to be over or the 2-3 days to get test results back to find out if they must under go post exposure treatment for a disease that is 100% fatal if untreated. It doesn't matter how big the dog is, thats scary stuff if you are an uneducated postal worker, and all you hear is "if you get bitten, report it and wait to see if you have rabies."

 

[gman]

99.999% fatal if untreated. There was a girl a few years ago that managed to recover even after being untreated.

But yeah. On the other hand, it's a freaking 10 lb dog. The owner was standing *right there*.

She just sounds like a *****. But yeah, don't let your dog out unless it's under control.

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

I knew someone was going to bring up that "one girl" :cross: But I would say she was FAR FAR FAR from untreated, she just happened to be the only person to recover from an advanced case with the aid of medical help. the other 99.999% of advanced cases might as well kiss....... well, you know where I am going with this...

 

[Fingers]

In defense of the mail worker, they are in a profession that carries one of the highest risks of dog bites. As a veterinarian, I know that because of rabies laws (at least in Texas) all dog bites must be reported to the local rabies control officer and the dog must be either placed in a 10 day quarantine or euthanized and sent off for rabies testing. Meanwhile the person bitten must wait the 10 days for the quarantine to be over or the 2-3 days to get test results back to find out if they must under go post exposure treatment for a disease that is 100% fatal if untreated. It doesn't matter how big the dog is, thats scary stuff if you are an uneducated postal worker, and all you hear is "if you get bitten, report it and wait to see if you have rabies."

That's still not in her defense, deathweed. If she was truly afraid of rabies or being bitten she could have avoided that completely by telling the owner to restrain the animal. She appeared to be more worried about enforcing her rights than mitigating a real danger. She rubbed his face in it and I think she should be dealt with using the same tools she used.

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

That's still not in her defense, deathweed. If she was truly afraid of rabies or being bitten she could have avoided that completely by telling the owner to restrain the animal. She appeared to be more worried about enforcing her rights than mitigating a real danger. She rubbed his face in it and I think she should be dealt with using the same tools she used.

I was more responding to Ryanh1801 comment about people being afraid of dogs, especially postal workers, than how this individual decided to handle the situation. That was all my defense was meant for.

 

[McKBrew]

She could have simply been more direct about her fear of dogs. The fact that she started to do her job, and then flipped out after the dog barked bothered me. The fact that she complained to the management after I made the effort to take the dog in bothers me more. I could have resolved the issue right then and there by making sure that the dog was leashed/indoors from now on.

The housing people could have been a bit more friendly in telling me about the leash law and at least listening when I tried to explain that I was taking the dog in.

I know I was mostly in the wrong, but I was made to feel like the issue was all my fault and that I was the one who was rude and not willing to acknowledge her fear of dogs. It sucks when there are no witnesses to your side of the story and the people who you think represent you to some extent don't even want to listen. ( I understand they probably have to worry about liabilty, etc..., but that shouldn't be an excuse to be a *****). Since some of the neighbors may have heard me, now I am probably the "******* neighbor" who ran off the mail-lady.

I am one of those people who is very easy to work with if I know the situation. Now I guess I do, and I'll make sure the dog is never an issue with the mail-lady. I don't think I will attempt to apologize or even talk to her, as I can see her mis-interpreting things again and causing even more unneccesary trouble.

Edit: My one big problem is when I get pissed off (since it happens rarely), it takes awhile for me to calm down.

 

[Fingers]

McKBrew, you gotta post a pic of this hound of the Baskervilles. Maybe a shot of it rabidly attacking one of your socks or something.

 

[PeteOz77]

Again... if she is deathly afraid of dogs, she's in the wrong line of work.

I'm afraid of.. well OK, I'm not afraid of anything, so bad example.

But if you are afraid of something in particular, you would be best suited to go into a profession where you will not encounter that "thing" that causes you strees and anxiety. Not ***** about it when it eventually (And probably regularly) occurs.

 

[DeathBrewer]

yeah, you're not afraid of dogs. but "3 legged houng brewing"... i think they may be afraid of YOU!

seriously, she's either an idiot or a *****. sorry, don't mean to be unsympathetic, but c'mon...

 

[Pugilist]

Regardless of whether she is afraid of dogs or not, she sounds like a *****. I wouldnt let her bother me and the first time she leaves you a pile of soggy mail from the rain you can pay her back.

 

[brauhaus]

I'd let it go, you already acknowledge you were wrong not having a leash, and the mail lady and your housing administration sound like a bunch of a-holes... don't let them stress you out...

Who the bless is that mail lady that she is going to cause you stress? just let it roll off your back man, she is not worth the shyt your dog drops in the yard.

and your housing admin probably cares less about you and is more worried about legal issues... do you think the housing people are sitting in their office getting stressed over you? bless them.

bless them all.

tell 'em johnny!

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Get a REALLY long leash so that you can let your dog out to get the mail, but he's technically still on a leash. Man that would be freaking hilarious.

 

[Zul'jin]

I got a sofa you can leash that dog to cause this is another example of some little so and so being a little so and so.

 

[McKBrew]

I got a sofa you can leash that dog to cause this is another example of some little so and so being a little so and so.

LOL. Yeah, the sofa thing is a bit ridiculous. If I could afford it, I wouldn't be living here, nor would I ever want to live in a housing community with rules on what you can or can't do. Unfortunately there are people in this world who will go out of their way to cause unessecary problems for you, and people willing to play "victims" advocate.

 

[TheBrewPig]

yeah, you're not afraid of dogs. but "3 legged houng brewing"... i think they may be afraid of YOU!

seriously, she's either an idiot or a *****. sorry, don't mean to be unsympathetic, but c'mon...

No way man, I know the 3 legged hound, and she would let PeteOz chop all her legs off if he was so inclined.... luckily I don't think he's prone to psychotic behaviour!

Plus he'd have to carry her everywhere....

:rockin: