Rescue dogs learn how to behave for postal workers

Letterboxes are being installed into the training rooms at Dogs Trust centres across the UK, to help its residents get used to the postman's arrival.

The charity, which cares for about 16,000 dogs each year, has introduced the facilities in support of Royal Mail's Dog Awareness Week, running from July 15 to 19, 2013.

Real-life training helps the residents get used to everyday situations and adapt more quickly when they move from their centre into a new home.

Staff also work with dogs to address any underlying fear that may trigger aggression towards visitors in a home, wherever appropriate.

Dogs Trust chief executive, Clarissa Baldwin, said: "Dogs Trust has long supported the need to keep postal and other community workers safe whilst they are performing their jobs and we are delighted to help this latest Royal Mail initiative."

She added: "The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill under consideration within the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill will introduce penalties for keepers of dogs who allow their dog to harm lawful visitors to their home.

"We hope the extension will result in more people taking responsibility for their dogs' behaviour, with penalties for those who don't – irresponsible dog owners need to be punished rather than dogs."

The charity has also worked with Royal Mail to produce advice sheets for postal workers for dealing with dogs on their rounds, and is asking dog owners to use the following advice.

Dogs that haven’t yet reacted to the postal worker:

1. Remain calm when you hear the postal worker arriving, this means that your dog is unlikely to become excited and start to react to the post being delivered.
2. Instead of running to get the letters take your dog into the kitchen for a small treat or into the garden or encourage him to pick up or fetch one of his toys.
3. Think about introducing your dog to the postal worker at an early stage.

Apprehension towards the postal worker:

1. Introduce the "cookie jar". Have a special container with tasty titbits in it on the kitchen worktop.
2. Teach your dog to go and sit by the cookie jar for a special command (for example "sweetie") before receiving a titbit.
3. Once your dog reliably goes to the kitchen on command (remember they must always receive a titbit for this) then you can begin to set up situations.
4. Arrange for somebody to come to the door and open the post box (just once to start with), give your dog the command and both of you go to the kitchen. Repeat this many times.
5. Gradually build this up until your "postal worker" can give the post box a really good rattle and even push some pretend letters through. Your dog will soon learn that the postman delivering mail is the signal to run through to the kitchen and wait patiently for a titbit rather than getting over excited at the front door.

Aggression towards the postal worker:

1. Always ensure that your dog is out of the way well before the postal worker arrives.
2. Take him for his walk around the time that the mail arrives or ensure that he is secure in the back garden. Additionally place him in a room as far away from the front door as possible (before the postal worker arrives).
3. Give him some food, a chew, a bone or a toy to occupy him while the postal worker arrives.
4. Wait 10 minutes or so after the mail has arrived before you let him back into the body of the house and keep everything as calm and low-key as possible.

Image courtesy of Dogs Trust