Lots of people acquire puppies in part because of their possible as watchdogs who will guard their owner's house from strangers. But naturally you'll find some strangers you do not need to ward off having a seemingly hostile dog. Initial among these is your letter carrier, who even in this day of tweeting and texting is an vital lifeline to the outside world. But obviously, your puppy has no way of understanding that.
Neither do the many other dogs which are so confrontational with letter carriers that they generally pack chemical sprays or other forms of nonlethal defense against dogs that threaten to bite and those that in fact do. However it needn't come to that. You may train your puppy from the earliest age not to go postal when a postal worker is at your door.
In reality, starting your puppy from her very first few months to have a positive reaction to letter carriers is the best approach to establish that as a lifelong habit. When your puppy is as small as six weeks old, bring her to the door on her leash once you hear the letter carrier arriving. Show her that the letter carrier is someone you trust and are friendly with. If there's time, you may even let the postal worker into your house, where your puppy and he can meet every other, and he can pet your newest arrival in the family and perhaps even give her a treat that you supply. Establish that bond early and no troubles will arise later on.
But also keep in mind to make clear to your puppy when she does bark or growl or act aggressively in any way toward the letter carrier that this is unacceptable. Don't try to calm her down with reassuring phrases like "that's okay, girl." This can give the puppy the impression which you are satisfied with this behavior. Instead, give a stern command of "Stop!" or "No!" and having a firm hand on the leash, have her sit or lie at your feet until she calms down. The letter carrier can then toss a treat he leaves.
Some of this method can apply to any stranger coming to your door or entering the house. You may have some treats in a jar near the door that they are able to dip into and give to your puppy. A puppy that starts associating strangers having a tasty dog biscuit will truly start off looking forward to surprise visits!
Neither do the many other dogs which are so confrontational with letter carriers that they generally pack chemical sprays or other forms of nonlethal defense against dogs that threaten to bite and those that in fact do. However it needn't come to that. You may train your puppy from the earliest age not to go postal when a postal worker is at your door.
In reality, starting your puppy from her very first few months to have a positive reaction to letter carriers is the best approach to establish that as a lifelong habit. When your puppy is as small as six weeks old, bring her to the door on her leash once you hear the letter carrier arriving. Show her that the letter carrier is someone you trust and are friendly with. If there's time, you may even let the postal worker into your house, where your puppy and he can meet every other, and he can pet your newest arrival in the family and perhaps even give her a treat that you supply. Establish that bond early and no troubles will arise later on.
But also keep in mind to make clear to your puppy when she does bark or growl or act aggressively in any way toward the letter carrier that this is unacceptable. Don't try to calm her down with reassuring phrases like "that's okay, girl." This can give the puppy the impression which you are satisfied with this behavior. Instead, give a stern command of "Stop!" or "No!" and having a firm hand on the leash, have her sit or lie at your feet until she calms down. The letter carrier can then toss a treat he leaves.
Some of this method can apply to any stranger coming to your door or entering the house. You may have some treats in a jar near the door that they are able to dip into and give to your puppy. A puppy that starts associating strangers having a tasty dog biscuit will truly start off looking forward to surprise visits!
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Pet Places provides resources on how you can choose which puppy to buy and how to take care of puppies.
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