Tales from the road: A Black Lab, a German Shepherd, and the Undead!
Yesterday's delivery route came with a scary and unexpected surprise! 😳
Note to readers: If you haven’t already read it, see my previous post about dealing with dogs as a delivery driver. Then you will understand more about life on the road and how I deal with dogs.
Good afternoon, my friends.
I’m getting ready to hit the road to do some deliveries, but I wanted to write up a quick note about something that happened yesterday while I was on a route.
I was delivering in a rural area, and I pulled into a driveway with a ranch house and a couple of cars. I see a Black Lab sitting in front of the door as if he is waiting for someone to let him in, but no one has come out.
The Black Lab sees me and turns around. I look at him carefully from inside my car, weighing his behavior to see if it’s safe to get out and do the delivery. He behaves submissively, pushing his body down, with his tongue going in and out, and his tail wagging. I see that he’ll probably be okay for me to get out of my vehicle.
I get out and toss him a couple of milk bones, and he is delighted! A great feast has appeared before him, as if by magic. While he is munching, I walk up to the front door, place the package, and turn around. I look down at him happily eating, and then, out of the corner of my eye, I see it:
GERMAN SHEPHERD COMING IN HOT! HE IS NOT HAPPY AND HE IS COMING STRAIGHT AT ME! NO TAIL WAGGING OR OTHER SUBMISSIVE BEHAVIOR, JUST A FRENETIC CHARGE RIGHT AT ME!
As he reaches me, I whirl around, extend Sting and hit the stun button, blue lightning erupts from the tip! ZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!! The sound alarms him and breaks his charge. He veers around me toward the front door as I step back toward my vehicle. I hear a woman’s voice saying, “He won’t hurt you,” as she comes around the side of the house. I reply, “No problem, ma'am,” and I fling another milk bone toward her and say, “There’s one for your other pup.”
My stun baton Sting:
I get into my vehicle and start checking my map for the next delivery. A man comes out of the house with an angry look on his face. He is making gestures with his hands that amount to “WTF?” I can see he’s pissed and that an explanation would take too long, and he might get violent if he is angry enough.
I play dumb and wave and smile. I point at his package on the front step and give him a thumbs up. I back my vehicle out and leave the property.
I’d be lying to you if I said the situation didn’t alarm me a bit. That German Shepherd came out of nowhere, he must have been behind the house. His demeanor was not friendly at all, and I learned a long time ago never to believe a dog owner when they tell me their dog won’t hurt me. Many drivers are bitten by such dogs, and some have died. So I don’t take any chances.
This video has some interesting commentary:
German Shepherds have powerful jaws, and they are not to be taken lightly under any circumstances. There are reasons why they are used as police dogs, self-defense dogs, etc. I would never allow one to get close enough for a bite unless I already knew the dog and knew it could be trusted. They are formidable animals, and only a fool would let one charge right into them.
The man who came out onto the front step also pissed me off royally. He clearly thought I had hurt his dog, or I had the intention of doing so, and that was completely wrong. I used Sting to break the dog’s charge and keep it away from me, and it worked, as it usually does.
That dog owner had a delivery window, and both dogs should have been in the house. If you are a dog owner, please remember this. Do not let your dogs run loose when you know a delivery is coming. I use Sting and pepper spray as my initial tools with hostile dogs, but there is also an undisclosed tool if I feel my life is truly in danger. I am not going to the hospital or the morgue to deliver your package to you.
It took me a little while to shake that situation yesterday out of my mind because I always analyze such situations to see what I might have done wrong. The only thing I can see here is that the sweet Black Lab distracted me a bit, and I fell into the trap of assuming he was the only dog there. Lesson learned.
Anyway, there’s another tale of the road for you. I’m headed out shortly, so we shall see what sort of adventure is in store for me. Sting is fully charged and ready to go, and so am I. 👍🏻
How you can support my writing
Please share this post
Thank you; your support keeps me writing and helps me to pay for rent, electricity, food, car payment and insurance, heat, and other necessities.
All contributions from readers are greatly appreciated. 👍🏻 💀
All dogs are pack animals and need leadership. When they don't get it, they think they have to take charge. When the dog is large and bred for protection (sheherds, cattle dogs) or combat, this is as dangerous for the owners as for others. What I see more and more are people with large dogs that they cannot even control when the dog is calm. The tell is when a dog pulls on the leash instead of walking calmly next to the owner. Then watch as the dog becomes more and more dominant as the owner begins to panic. Dogs hate panic! I have seen such dogs drag the owners off their feet.
When out and about on neutral ground, so to speak, as a general rule, don't make eye contact with strange dogs even if they are calm. or appear friendly. If they are calm, ignore them and FIRST talk to the owner if present. Then, don't pet the dog but talk to it if it is friendly - still without eye contact.
If caught unawares without a weapon or other deterrent, by an aggressive dog, try to stay calm and work hard at avoiding eye contact by looking over them or slightly to the side while keeping them in the frame for defensive moves.
As The Undead has shown, do everything you can to distract them - shout loudly and with authority to get their attention; don't wail or make fearful noises. If able to distract them, speak calmly to the dog using words like "stop" and "don't"; do not run away, if anything, move towards them - they will not expect that. Above all, be alert and calmly move away from unaccompanied dogs before they come closer.
When on the dog's territory, do like Morgthorak.
Famous last words:
hE jUsT wAnTs To pLaY...