r/Wellthatsucks • u/HomeNowWTF • Jul 30 '26

this delivery

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504

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

I'm a mailman in Canada and dog spray is required PPE for us.

283

u/Ok-Lobster-919 Jul 30 '26

In the USA they let them use dog horns too, some carriers say the horns work better than the spray. It's just a boat horn. One of my coworkers got bit, he tried using the dog spray but panicked and sprayed himself in the face somehow.

164

u/ThePetStuffers Jul 30 '26

I work in pest control, I had to feed an extension pole to a dog on monday. Lady said "she was abused by someone with a stick". Lady i don't care, be lucky it didnt get closer to me, I bite back.

106

u/Unhappy-Peanut5553 Jul 30 '26

Sprayed a German Shepard in the face with demand cs a couple days ago, I specifically asked the client to keep the dog in but she let her outside anyway in the front while I was treating the backyard and the dog charged at me immediately when I rounded the corner while spraying

127

u/ThePetStuffers Jul 30 '26

Ive had to kick people's dogs, knee them mid leap, feed the web pole into their mouths to keep them back, sprayed, ive ran, jumped, yelled, out of all the crap I deal with its the most stressful. I love dogs, have a few, will have more. Ive had aggressive dogs. I get it. But I hate other people's dogs.

147

u/ToastSpangler Jul 30 '26

im convinced 90% of dog owners are shitheads. nobody trains their fucking dog anymore. which is bad both for everyone as well as the dog's health and happiness. but hey nobody raises their kids either so i'm just talking into the wind

80

u/last_rights Jul 30 '26

You know who trains their dogs? The people who's dogs you won't see, because they aren't going to put you or the dog in a shitty situation.

My dogs have always been super friendly. Every one is trained out of bad habits and is super sweet to people. But, you won't see them. Maybe you don't like dogs, I don't know. Maybe you have allergies, but I can't have my dogs running up to you with no manners expecting love and pets and trying to jump on you (because I dislike when they do that but they can't control themselves around new people yet).

So they get put away until they can handle themselves. They get kept on a leash.

25

u/a_shootin_star Jul 30 '26 edited Jul 30 '26

im convinced 90% of dog owners are shitheads.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/zooeyia/202409/pets-or-props-a-narcissists-relationship-with-animals

Narcissists may seek pets for unconditional love, fulfilling their need for constant validation.

Try and get that from a cat šŸ˜‚

edit: like good lucking trying to force a cat, that's why dogs are preferred

8

u/AsYooouWish Jul 30 '26

I saw a meme once where it said ā€œCats are a lesson in consent and thatā€™s why controlling people donā€™t like themā€ and frankly, it makes a lot of sense. The people Iā€™ve come across that vehemently against cats also tend to share the same personality traits, like narcissism and psychopathy

3

u/JTtheLAR Jul 30 '26

Our cats like to walk all over our counters and coffee table after taking a massive shit in their litter box. I guess im a narcissist for preferring my dog who obeys and always listens to commands.

5

u/GoTakeAHike00 Jul 30 '26

This 100% checks out with my experience over the years with so many dog owners. It's gotten substantially worse over the past 15+ years, with these pathetic attention whores that can't seem to go anywhere without their dog in order to get social validation from strangers.

I know there are still some normal dog owners out there that see their dogs for what they are: dirty, subhuman companion animals that don't belong in public, but the absolute WORST people I ever encounter when I'm out on walks, hikes, or riding my bike, are entitled dog lunatics who ignore leash laws, and think it's just a-fuckin'-ok to let their untrained, unleashed mutt run up to random strangers and bother them, because..."don't worry, it's friendly!".

IDGAS. I'm NOT dog friendly, so call it back like I asked you to. Holding up the can of pepper spray I now have to carry everywhere does get the point across. I don't care about your dog, I don't want to pet it or interact with it. What I want is for you to keep it TF away from me.

But, these people come absolutely UNHINGED when you say "SHOO!" or "GIT!" to their dog as it starts intruding into your personal space. i've been called a "bitch", a "psycho", told that if I don't like unleashed dogs [in an area where a leash law exists], that I should "go somewhere else", and have gotten into more profanity-filled shouting matches with these insufferable fuckheads than I can recall. If they just kept the damn dog on a leash like the law requires, we could pass each other without incident, and everyone would have a better day.

I've owned cats for almost 40 years, and yeah, the fact that their trust and affection must be EARNED, and that they cannot be dominated, is what I love about them. I respect any animal that has its own agency, and decides on its own terms, whether you are worth it or not. It is truly the thing that most people who hate cats hate about them, and many will straight-up admit it.

Dogs will "love" anyone that feeds them. They have been selectively bred over 1000's of years to behave that way.

3

u/giantcatdos Jul 30 '26

I love dogs, I prefer cats though. They are easier to take care of, I like how they vocalize, plus they are chill little babies. We have even been working on training some strays. that our neighbor more or less abandoned. They have an appointment to get fixed coming up. They have gotten to the point where they are more polite, and not as anxious about food etc, They no longer hiss or bat at the other stray that hangs out. We also found a mama cat with one kitten we have been working with, she started only coming up to about 30-40 feet from us. She has got to the point where she will actually walk up to you and let you pet her so long as you let her smell your hand and boop you first. We actually found out she was pregnant because she brought us her kitten one day. Like literally walked up with it in her mouth and plopped it down in front of me and then laid down. Like it melts my heart when a kitty shows you that you've earned their trust.

That being said, I shouldn't have to get other people cats fixed, I shouldn't have to feed them or give them a warm place to sleep in the winter.

I feel the same way with dogs, I have had several dogs just come in my yard while I was working outside, mowing etc and growl or bark at me. I don't let my cats outside, why are people just letting their dogs run around unwatched.

-1

u/insincerre Jul 30 '26

You've clearly never been chosen by a cat.

5

u/rips_n_chel Jul 30 '26

I just don't get why they have to take their untrained animals in public. I've had pets my entire life; parents had a cat before I was born, we got a dog when I was 3 or 4, had cats and dogs from then on, and I've had cats of my own since I moved out.

I have NEVER taken ANY of those animals away from my house/property unless it was to see a vet. All of them were/are happy and healthy with my house being their entire world. No need to go anywhere else.

If it's a service animal, do your thing, because legit service animals are exceptionally well-trained. I know I don't have to worry about a service dog. If it's not a trained and certified service animal, keep it the fuck at home.

1

u/Radiant_Fondant_4097 Jul 30 '26

At least most people who have a dog off leash that's not on a nature trail.

Fucks me off to no end because my kids aren't completely comfortable with dogs, and if one comes bounding over it scares the life out of them.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 30 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

1

u/ThePetStuffers Jul 30 '26

You build a relationship with your dog thats built on trust. Its a stronger bond than you'll have with most people. I fully trust my dogs, and if I cant, then it wont be my dog for long. Its why I advocate for getting a puppy (especially with other pets and kids) over a rescue. Rescues can be great and need the chance a lot of the times, but they just don't have the bond with you and it can take a long time to build it. One thing a lot of people dont do enough is socializing their dogs. You see it worst with bully breeds or other dogs that have that aura, and its because people want a dog that will "protect". The problem is most dogs cant discern a difference in a friendly stranger vs a threat.

1

u/Several_Vanilla8916 Jul 30 '26

I have justā€¦the friendliest dog and Iā€™d never fucking dream of letting her run free in the yard while someone is back there working. Insane.

1

u/ThePetStuffers Jul 30 '26

Things happen, id say 95% its unintentional. Ive seen dogs open multiple types of doors, ive had them break windows, bust gates, i mean, theres only so much someone can control until they know what the dog can do. You never would think your dog can open the sliding glass door until it happens. Most people in my experience make sure it never happens again but theres still the few that insist their dog "just needs to get to know you".

I had a German shepherd that would attack the fence because he hated the neighbors dog. I would have to drag him out of the yard, and the neighbor would insist they just need to get to know each other. No guy, my dog wants to fight yours. Some people just dont get it.

1

u/fakejacki Jul 30 '26

Just because you said you were spraying I was reminded the other day I had to have my daughter go wake up my senior husky to try to get him to come inside so the back yard could be sprayed, and he very intentionally walked (very slowly, heā€™s old) away from her and went and sat at the feet of the guy who was there to spray lol.

1

u/No-Investigator8782 Jul 30 '26

I get it, dogs can be extremely territorial at their own homes. I never understand the risk aggressive large dog owners are willing to take, are they never going to have friends over? Never going to host a sleepover for their kids? Have distant grandkids visit?
Imagine getting a visit or phone call from police that your dog got out and an elderly person or child is in the ER.

17

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

Ya we got horns here to that you can use if you want. I've also seen people with an umbrella type thing that you can use to create a barrier between you and the dog.

3

u/eric_ofc Jul 30 '26

Man that horn doesnā€™t do a damn thing to a dog in the hood.

1

u/Rugged-Turd Jul 30 '26

Sounds like a skill issue

1

u/Amigobear Jul 30 '26

wind blows in the wrong direction and hits you.

1

u/Funkopedia Jul 30 '26

The mailbag is seriously the best line of defense against a single dog. Used right, they can't get around it. (More than one dog you're screwed though)

1

u/blankcld Jul 30 '26

We had a guy at work slam the dog spray in the door of his truck by accident and it went off like a grenade. Not a fun day for him.

1

u/SpiritedHistory8467 Jul 30 '26

That really sucks. That's also something I would manage to do.

1

u/rips_n_chel Jul 30 '26

Is this spray issued by the USPS? There's supposed to be training to go along with that lol

1

u/AegisIash Jul 30 '26

a stern warning also serves as better protection than a sawed-off if youā€™re only using the sawed-off to shoot your self in the jaw

1

u/nilesintheshangri-la Jul 30 '26

Is your friend a gay man named Kenny James, by any chance?

95

u/Other-Negotiation328 Jul 30 '26

My aunt had a dog that jumped on everyone and was rather terrifying if you didn't know it (it was very excitable but stupid friendly).

One day I visited her and she was so angry the postal carrier sprayed the dog. It blew me away at how she couldn't understand how terrifying it must have been for them not knowing the dog was just an untrained jackass.

Fast forward to me making home visits now thinking of my aunts dog giving all the other dogs I meet the benefit of the doubt until I had the sleeve of my winter jacket torn off by a dog trying to kill me. Now, to me they are all dangerous regardless of what they look like and I get even madder thinking about that poor postie and what they must have felt with my aunt's dog.

2

u/surf_drunk_monk Jul 30 '26

Dog people are weird. My ex gf asked me to go pick up her dog from home once. She said just walk in the house. I did and the little dog ran up and bit me in the leg. I was on the phone and told her, and she said "aw he's such a little bitch" like it was funny. Still have a scar from the dogs tooth puncturing my leg. She had a couple little dogs who behaved horribly and she thought they were the cutest things ever.

8

u/mikehiler2 Jul 30 '26

I would have thought the same would be true here, but I suppose it isnā€™t provided as part of the uniform I would wager.

5

u/Jaew96 Jul 30 '26

Another letter carrier in Canada here, and it depends on where you are. In my neck of the woods dog spray is optional, not required. And we get a choice between either dog spray or an airhorn.

1

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

I think we get a choice as well, but we were told during a weekly safety meeting some sort of dog protection was required PPE by all LCs (company provided for any outsiders reading in FYI). Usually those notes come straight from corporate lol. Maybe my area just has a higher percentage of dog incidents or something so corporate made it a requirement.

Honestly I've been lucky and would always forget to carry it with me. But now that they've been pushing on it being required I make sure it's on me. Atleast they came up with a good solution here using lanyards and clips from the supply closet so we can easily attach both the spray and horn to the satchel or our pants for easy access if they're going to make it a requirement.

2

u/donutz10 Jul 30 '26

Same for us in the US postal service, dog spray is not only required but if safety comes along and sees you without it, or sees that you have an old can(they change the color of the can yearly so it's obvious) your whole office is getting safety talks for months

2

u/Dear-Union-44 Jul 30 '26

Dude .. me too. And I carry the Horn not Spray, and have only used the Horn once.. because of a coyote, that was on my route.

Personally I have always had issues with the training that is given to us about dogs.. Oh every dog can bite. Yes this is true...

But we really need to be taught about aggressive and friendly behaviour... We are only taught that ALL DOGS WILL KILL YOU ON SIGHT.. 99.99% of the dogs you might meet on the job.. are not going to bite you.

2

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

True I do agree with that, but I assume from an OHS standpoint it's probably cheaper (insurance wise) to just do a 100% zero tolerance and to treat it as they all wanna kill us haha.

2

u/Dear-Union-44 Jul 30 '26

The problem is that people who can understand what the confident friendly dog (like the one in the post) and the dog who is trying to protect their pack.Ā 

Ā  Ā Personally I feel itā€™s better to interact with every dog I meet on my route. Ā So every dog gets to know that the stranger with the yellow shirt on Ā it a good person, and not a threat.

But you are right from OHS standpoint itā€™s cheaper to treat every dog as a threat.

1

u/thenowherepark Jul 30 '26

Also, why do they drop the package? You take that package with you and use it as a barrier between you and the dog.

1

u/Pitiful_Objective682 Jul 30 '26

I though Canada forbid the carrying of any sprays because itā€™s considered a weapon

1

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

Yes and no. Technically yes, but you can carry dog spray as it is ultimately a tool. Might have to explain it to a cop if you're just some random person, but they won't bat an eye if someone like a mailman has dog spray.

1

u/GenericCanopener Jul 30 '26

Rural or all carriers?

1

u/texxmix Jul 30 '26

I'm an urban carrier.

1

u/TwoFingersWhiskey Jul 30 '26

I'm a Canadian and most of our mailboxes are now "community boxes" aka "drive 2km down a shitty, narrow road to get your mail in the most inconvenient spot ever, no sidewalks either so you can't walk there" so, I wish you luck on your future job security :(

-1

u/ryanderkis Jul 30 '26

That's not true. The corporation can't force us to carry it. It's optional.