Once again, the biscuit saves the day!

[soberups]

Let me clarify, if you allow your animal to roam your yard you are risking not getting your package from me. I will not put myself, the animal, or the company in a situation that would compromise safety or liability.

In other words, if you're expecting a package, contain your animal.

A lot of my customers might keep their dogs in a kennel or indoors during the day, but then let the dog out to play or run around on the property after they get home. Which is often about the time I happen to show up. So like it or not, on a rural route like mine you are going to encounter dogs and since first impressions mean everything it is a good idea to have a biscuit or two in your pocket. Its called "diplomacy".

 

[soberups]

what do you do when a 300 pound mama comes running out the door towards you?

I would give her a bone.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I hope you aren't putting stuff in a mailbox. That's a big no no as far as the post office goes.

It's breaking a federal law, obviously. Like I said, leave "at" a mailbox, not in.
There was one time when an owner had their dog roaming the yard and I hollered "UPS", beeped horn, but they just stood at front door watching. I asked them "can you please get your dog" and they didn't, so I released the box by the mailbox at edge of the driveway. Hey, saved me about 30 steps.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I had the same problem on my new route, had dogs rushing the truck while it was moving, dogs following me back to truck across a street, jumping in the truck. I put an end to all of that, of course I also refuse to deliver to any house where the dog is loose and I can't be 100% positive the dog isn't a danger to it or myself. I now have as close to zero chance of being hurt, as well as carrying liability of dog hurting itself due to actions of a precious drivers relationship with the animals.

....which is exactly why our center manager strongly discourages the use of dog biscuits....

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Your center manager sits behind a desk all day.

If he ever came out on car with me, he would be filling his pockets up with my biscuits and handing them out before we had 10 stops off.

My center manager drove for 12 years.

If he were to ever be on the car with you I know that he could easily cut 30-60 minutes off of your on-road time.

TTKU

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I hope you aren't putting stuff in a mailbox. That's a big no no as far as the post office goes.

...which is why you wait until they have already made their delivery...

 

[rod]

...which is why you wait until they have already made their delivery...

So the people are gone for a few days and the next day the mailman can't get his mail into the box because a big old UPS package is stuffed into it? See how well that goes over.

 

[rod]

My center manager drove for 12 years.

If he were to ever be on the car with you I know that he could easily cut 30-60 minutes off of your on-road time.

TTKU

Do you have pictures of your center manager and you cat on the fireplace mantel? We get it---you have a bromance going with your center manager.

 

[Packmule]

Our center manager strongly discourages the use of dog biscuits.

They do instill a false sense of security. I've found over the years that if a dog is acting that aggressively towards me, it will ignore the treat and just keep coming.
And every other dog that ignores me now, used to chase the truck down the highway when I went by, and run right under the wheels when I slowed down, because they want that treat.
And I can assure you your dog treat isn't going to back off any corporate ladder climber when they use your dog accident to impress the new division manager! Been there done that. Never again will I be accused of luring dogs toward the truck!

 

[soberups]

My center manager drove for 12 years.

If he were to ever be on the car with you I know that he could easily cut 30-60 minutes off of your on-road time.

TTKU

For some reason you continue clinging to this bizarre notion that I spend 30-60 minutes every day feeding dogs.

I don't. I toss a biscuit at them in passing, or give one out while I am standing at the door waiting for a signature.

Instead of sitting in the truck and honking the horn because I am scared to get out and face a 40 lb Labrador, I exit the vehicle immediately and make the delivery while said Labrador is busy munching on the cookie that I tossed out to it.

Instead of crawling up the driveway at 2MPH and constantly having to stop because one or more dogs keeps running circles around the truck into my blind spots, I proceed at 10-15MPH while the dog(s) search the bushes for the cookies I threw in there as a diversion.

Instead of dealing with 15 or 20 dog-related send-agains every night, I deal with zero. And in 27 years of driving I have never been bitten, never had a dog-related injury or accident, and neither has any driver who has ever filled in for me on my route.

Try to keep up.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Yes. I have a couple of biscuits in my shirt pocket at all times, plus a 2 week supply in the truck.

I gave up on keeping treats in my truck. The cover drivers would use too much while covering my route. My box of treats should have lasted for months (at least) but it got down to mostly crums after a month. I had only missed a few days during that time so I guess the cover drivers were handing them out to every dog they saw. Flippin idiots.

I'm glad the dogs on your route have left you alone all of these years. But your approach would have eventually gotten you bitten/mauled on many of the routes in our center.

 

[Browntown2014]

...which is why you wait until they have already made their delivery...

Uh oh looks like Mr. Methods is back.

 

[Johney]

Not sure how I can get bit by a dog in which I refuse to deliver with said animal loose? If biscuits work for you that's great, I'm not here to be the dogs friend, I'm here to deliver a package.

So explain your solution when said dog is accidentally let out after you DR pkg at front door and it's 50 yards or more back to the safety of your truck? Just curious.

 

[jbg77]

Let me clarify, if you allow your animal to roam your yard you are risking not getting your package from me. I will not put myself, the animal, or the company in a situation that would compromise safety or liability.

In other words, if you're expecting a package, contain your animal.

How do you sheet that?

 

[Johney]

How do you sheet that?

NI1. Bad Dog in remarks?

 

[Orion inc.]

No, you follow the methods and honk your horn when you stop. If the dog isn't one you feel safe entering the yard with, you honk a couple more times. If the owner fails to appear to come get the dog, you tag the mailbox "loose dog" on the info notice. If the owner is there they come to the truck and I explain I don't enter yards that have loose dogs in them. I have yet to have a customer who takes offense to the fact I won't enter their property with an unrestrained dog nor received a customer complaint that I left an info notice explaining why I didn't enter their property.

I do this as well in situations where I don't know the customer or the dog. I also have a big box of treats in the car that give out to the same dogs I see every day. It does keep you on good terms with the dog and it's good PR. Every customer I've ever had that I gave treats to their dogs always said how kind that was etc. Didn't hurt either during peak with tips.

You have to use your judgement and size up every situation on its own merits. Follow the methods but their is no harm giving a dog a biscuit as your making the delivery. I've found if you have good relationships with your customers and sometimes their dogs, it makes your job safer and easier.

I had one business stop that had a really aggressive dog. The owner would meet me by the gate and get his packages. I started bringing the dog a biscuit every time. At first he would go crazy barking and such. After a few weeks , the dog associated me with a treat. He stopped being aggressive towards me. The owner said that I was the only delivery guy the dog didn't try to eat. That dog passed away a few months ago.

By that time, that dog and I became good friends and it was a nice part of my day delivering there. I sad to see him go. The owners did get a new one and we are on good terms [emoji4]

 

[Orion inc.]

...which is why you wait until they have already made their delivery...

Not only is this a bad idea and against the methods, it's illegal. We had a driver do that every day on a route. The mailman got so annoyed by it, he involved the postal inspectors who caught our driver doing it one day. They fined him enough that he never does it again and had to stand at pcm and tell others not to do this.

I'm shocked you're doing something illegal on your route. Shocked I tell ya. But then again you cherry pick the methods to your liking and yet tell others they're always wrong.

I know I know , your wittiest response will be "try to keep up".

 

[Catatonic]

Not only is this a bad idea and against the methods, it's illegal. We had a driver do that every day on a route. The mailman got so annoyed by it, he involved the postal inspectors who caught our driver doing it one day. They fined him enough that he never does it again and had to stand at pcm and tell others not to do this.

I'm shocked you're doing something illegal on your route. Shocked I tell ya. But then again you cherry pick the methods to your liking and yet tell others they're always wrong.

I know I know , your wittiest response will be "try to keep up".

TTKU

 

[Johney]

I know I know , your wittiest response will be "try to keep up".

Yawn

 

[Jackburton]

So explain your solution when said dog is accidentally let out after you DR pkg at front door and it's 50 yards or more back to the safety of your truck? Just curious.

Ask Max.