No matter how impawssibly cute the combo of a delivery driver and a happy doggo would be, we cannot entirely omit the fact that some dogs are far from excited to see strangers coming to their home. The weird sounds, the unfamiliar smells, and the face they haven’t seen before may trigger an adverse reaction, if not worse, aggressive behavior.
So we reached out to Dr. Sally J Foote, a DVM and animal behaviorist who conducts low-stress handling veterinary care labs, in-clinic staff training, pet owner seminars, speaking and writing to promote positive veterinary care from “Foote & Friends.”
Dr. Sally explained that “dogs who have not experienced seeing delivery trucks or people before 4 months of age are often wary or fearful of the delivery person, vehicle, and noises involved.” She added that tossing treats to the dog for all aspects of delivery, starting at an early age, will help.
Dr. Sally also explained that “aggression levels vary according to everything that is happening for the dog during the delivery experience, the age and temperament of the dog.” Dogs also tend to be influenced by the behavior of fellow dogs in a particular situation. “If a dog has a companion dog barking, jumping and aggressing it will shape the behavior of the other dog. If the dog cannot get away from the delivery person (loose in a yard, or at the front door) they will show aggression to keep the delivery person away,” the animal behaviorist explained.
Moreover, specific breeds may be indeed more prone to agitation towards delivery workers than others. Dr. Sally said that breeds that are selected for herding or guarding traits need lots of extra training to decrease delivery agitation.
