Cal, one of the people whose dog you can see in the list, said their pup loves attention from everyone and loves greeting the delivery person. "Elsie gets very excited when deliveries happen and would often run up to them for a stroke, wagging her tail," they told Bored Panda.
"In the photo, I accepted the parcel and as the delivery driver was taking a photo as proof, she ran out to greet him. Luckily, on this occasion, he was happy to stroke her," Cal said, adding that Elsie is very well-known to their frequent delivery drivers and they always say hello.
Another dog who appears on the list is Ace. His owner Kayla said he's very bubbly, outgoing, and also loves to be stroked by everyone. "Ace always wants to greet the delivery drivers and they always seem to get on well (unless they're scared of dogs, oops!)," they explained to Bored Panda.
This time, the DPD driver was leaving their parcel on the step. "As I opened the door, Ace rushed out to see the visitor and this happened to be what the driver captured!"
Dog owner Elaine said her pup Jimmy is also really friendly and wants to say hello to everyone who comes to the door. "He hasn't seen many people this year (obviously) but has seen the delivery drivers lots!" Elaine told Bored Panda. "He goes bonkers when the bell goes and will bark and wiggle his tail [and] bum excitedly."
Trying to prevent Jimmy from running outside, his pawrents have to narrowly open the door to speak to the driver. Jimmy, however, still tries to stick his head out to say hello. "The driver was taking a photo of the parcel on the door as proof of delivery and Jimmy popped his head out just as the photo was taken."
Hannah, who owns a dog named Brandy, said the Shih-Tzu and poodle cross is very cheeky and mischievous! "She's always on the lookout for dogs, cats, and walkers out of the window, and barks loads when she does! She wants to be fussed whenever there is a visitor, she will not calm down till she's been fussed and given attention. We have a little stair gate (for babies) to keep her out of the porch whilst I answer the door to delivery workers, she barks nonstop till they’re out of sight. I actually received this photo from my mum as she found it hilarious! She wasn’t expecting to see this picture in her emails when she got her delivery."
Some pets, however, can freak out every time a delivery person comes to the door. Especially dogs. Barking is a way for your pup to express emotions, and there are many reasons why your dog may bark at your mail carrier. It may be fearful or frustrated that there's an intruder on its property, and it may think barking will scare the carrier away. They usually come and go before it is able to calm down and get to know them as a friend. The dog could also be scared of the delivery uniform or it could be frustrated that it can't go up to your carrier and greet them properly.
To try and stop this behavior, Vetstreet trainer Mikkel Becker says you shouldn't yell at or punish your pup when it barks—it may think you're just "barking" along with it. You shouldn't punish your dog for barking, either. It may start to associate the carrier with punishment, which can often increase anxiety and lead to aggression with someone coming to the door.
Dogs look at their owners for guidance and they are very good at picking up their emotions, so keeping cool will only help the pup stay cool as well.
The next thing you can do is create a positive association with your delivery person. For example, if you're out for a walk or in front of your home and see them coming, it's a perfect opportunity to train and reward your dog for good behavior. Practice things like sitting, heeling, and lying down when the delivery person is present. Reward your dog with a treat for a job well done, so it will have a positive experience near the carrier, as opposed to feeling anxious or fearful when they come around. But don't forget to make sure everyone is safe; have a restraint or barrier in place, like a leash or fence.
If you think the delivery person's outfit may be scaring your dog, try to get it used to people in uniform by buying or renting a costume, or even just procuring a hat and large bag, and enlisting a willing friend or family member to dress up and break out their best acting skills.
Have them come to your door and let your dog have a positive interaction. But take it slow and "read" your dog. Becker suggests starting with the "look" game with the familiar person outside the door and then progressing to having your dog in a sitting position or on its mat, using a leash or gate as a barrier for safety, while your friend cracks the door—without donning a costume at this point. Reward your dog if it remains in place. Once it is comfortable with the friend, progress to them opening the door further and you picking up or pretending to sign for a package. Eventually, as your dog remains in place and relaxed, progress to your friend wearing the costume. If your dog gets upset at any point, go back to an earlier phase.
All that is left is teaching your pet to fetch and it will be collecting your deliveries in no time!
