Mail delivery aggression problem

[Ben Curtis]

Leo, my 8 moth old Cane Corso, loves our UPS and Fed-EX guys. He has always been great with new people coming to our house. He usually gives his big boy bark, and then cautiously approaches strangers, with his entire back end wagging, and sits at there feet wanting them to rub his chest.

Yesterday with our mail lady it was an entirely different story. Leo did not like her backing her mail truck into our driveway. My wife came out with him as she usually does if someone new was arriving. The mail lady got out of the truck and ignored Leo. This seemed to only infuriate Leo. According to my wife he was barking and growling at the same time. When my wife grabbed his collar to keep him back Leo spun his head around and growled, briefly, at my wife. This is the first time any of us have ever seen him act like this.

If it were me I would have not problem putting Leo in stay and he would stay, but then again I have never seen him this upset at anyone before. Leo does not listen to my wife quite as well as he does for me. It does have me a bit worried, and from what my wife told me the mail lady did nothing wrong.

Leo will be starting his next level of obedience classes soon, but to be completely honest I am a bit lost on what to do about this. I am worried that this is a new stage in his maturity, and we need to start worrying about all new comers to our residence.

What advice do you have for me?

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

I hate the Fed-Ex guys!

I'm not sure what Corsi temperaments are like but given his age he's hitting a teenage stage. Sounding very full of himself, you and your wife need to be confident and control the situation. Not the other way around.

Extra OB classes are great. In the mean time brush up on his current OB commands.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Has he previously had a problem with the mail carrier? I agree its probly at least partially him hitting his teen years.

 

[Ben Curtis]

This was the first time he met our mail lady, but he has had not problems with anyone ever before. He actually treats strangers better than he treats us. I come home and he barely gets up.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Do the UPS and FEDEX guys back down the driveway? Apollo HATES backup beepers, if Leo associated her with the beeper that might be part of the problem.

 

[Ben Curtis]

I thought the same thing. The others do not back up, but when she first arrived Leo was not visibly upset. My wife claims that her ignoring him set him off. He was pissed she was not giving him attention and then it escalated.

At the very least, I am sure the beeper did not help.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Thats fairly simple to test. Have some one he's never met before dupliate the mail carrier's visit (show up, say hi, leave) while ignoring him.

 

[Ben Curtis]

What a great idea, I will do that for sure.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Time it so your wife is the one handling him again, since he reacts differently to the both of you.

 

[kbuchanan66]

Could it be his Guardian side peeping up. Didn't someone say that anyone that their dog met as a puppy was best of friends but as soon as the dog hit is teenage years anyone new was more trouble to introduce to the dog? I could just be babbling though

 

[ruthcatrin]

Could it be his Guardian side peeping up. Didn't someone say that anyone that their dog met as a puppy was best of friends but as soon as the dog hit is teenage years anyone new was more trouble to introduce to the dog? I could just be babbling though

Depends on the dog, they are in general more accepting as pups yes. I think you're remembering a fila discussion though.

 

[Ben Curtis]

kbuchanan66, honestly that is what I think. That this is Leo maturing. I feel like we have done such extensive socialization work that it should not ever be a big issue, but if this continues it will be. I am not sure how to reduce this progression.

I do feel that diagnosing the issue is important. To try and figure out what exactly set him off. Who knows it could have been her perfume, or maybe she had bad intentions towards my wife and Leo was reacting to it.

 

[kbuchanan66]

Depends on the dog, they are in general more accepting as pups yes. I think you're remembering a fila discussion though.

Aaaaah that makes more sense...for some reason Neo keeps piping up in my head.

 

[kbuchanan66]

kbuchanan66, honestly that is what I think. That this is Leo maturing. I feel like we have done such extensive socialization work that it should not ever be a big issue, but if this continues it will be. I am not sure how to reduce this progression.

I do feel that diagnosing the issue is important. To try and figure out what exactly set him off. Who knows it could have been her perfume, or maybe she had bad intentions towards my wife and Leo was reacting to it.

Either way diagnose and train. Like Ruth said get your wife to do the training for a it this way she will get a bit more control.

 

[ruthcatrin]

kbuchanan66, honestly that is what I think. That this is Leo maturing. I feel like we have done such extensive socialization work that it should not ever be a big issue, but if this continues it will be. I am not sure how to reduce this progression.

I do feel that diagnosing the issue is important. To try and figure out what exactly set him off. Who knows it could have been her perfume, or maybe she had bad intentions towards my wife and Leo was reacting to it.

Its possible she's scared of big dogs and Leo sensed the fear and reacted to it. If he reacts to another stranger who ignores him that tells you something, if he doesn't react to them then its something specific to the mail lady.

 

[Ben Curtis]

My wife just told me she returned today and did not even get out of the car. She does not have a beep at all. Leo was not happy she was there.

Of course we have a graduation party this weekend for my daughter, and this has to become an issue now.

 

[Ben Curtis]

Its possible she's scared of big dogs and Leo sensed the fear and reacted to it. If he reacts to another stranger who ignores him that tells you something, if he doesn't react to them then its something specific to the mail lady.

My wife claims she was scared from the start, and in the beginning Leo was not upset, so the fear factor might make some sense, but it is hard to tell someone not to be fearful.

 

[DennasMom]

Ahhh, I was going to ask if your wife was worried about the encounter, and if that's what Leo was picking up on? Sounds like that might be it? Can you do a test where you're both out there, so you can support your wife with some calm, confident energy for the encounter?

It might also help if the mail-lady has some treats to throw at Leo...

Our first dog LOVED the UPS guy - he had a pocket full of milkbones that he was very generous with... our pup probably got 3 or 4 bones during one package signature...

All of our dogs seem to hate the mail guy, though... I think it's because our mailman is a grumpy old man who hates dogs... but that's just a guess. One day I had the screen door open and the dog started barking as he walked up the front path. He wouldn't come within 20ft of the door with the dog there. I went out to meet him. He barely acknowledged my presence even as he handed me my mail.

 

[cookiedough39]

Have you ever let the ups or fed ex guys in the house? If they have been in the house Leo would be way more accepting than he would be if they were just outside. Carma goes crazy if somebody new is the yard but if we let them in the house and she sees it's ok Carma will stand down. Either way, you might want to be careful when new people are around, sounds like Leo is hitting that early teen phase.

 

[Cody]

First off I do not think you should be too concerned about this reaction to one person. Dogs can read signals that we cannot and if your dog has been correct with everyone else EXCEPT her then I say trust your dog. To me it doesn't sound like aggression, it sounds like a Corso. With your daughters graduation how many people are you expecting? See how your dog does but if you notice him getting stressed then put him away, crate room whatever. This is not a breed that loves being surrounded by strange people necessarily, they are highly sensitive to what people are putting out. It is our job to protect them as much as theirs to protect us.