Most people probably wouldn’t think of dog treats as preventative medicine, but according to one Charlottetown woman upset over a recent policy change by Canada Post, that’s exactly what they are.>

Joanne Lord MacLeod said her pup Jock waits for the mail carrier every day to bring him his inevitable treat.

However, according to a Canada Post policy change initiated in 2008, mail carriers throughout Canada are now prohibited from keeping dog treats on them while working.

The policy change was put into action to keep carriers from getting bitten, something MacLeod thinks is counter-productive.
“I, for one, think it’s favourable for the postal carriers to carry treats,” said MacLeod.

“The animals then like to see them coming, so it is for their own protection as well as keeping the dogs from hating them because they encroach on their property.”

MacLeod added as far as she sees it, the dog treats will keep dogs from biting the carriers. “I think it’s a ridiculous issue for management to dream up,” she said.

But, a spokesperson at Canada Post said the company feels otherwise. “Dogs are creatures of habit,” wrote Denise Corra, communications manager with Canada Post in an email to The Guardian. “If they are regularly given treats, they come to expect them. If the regular letter carrier or a relief letter carrier arrives at the point of call without a treat, the dog could react badly.”

Millions of homes have dogs. Dogs are territorial and people whose living depends on them visiting your home have to have a good strategy. Dogs are their reality. I find amazing that many who come to homes as the central aspect of their work do not accept that they will meet dogs. I often think that they just hope that one day all the dogs will go away.

This no treat idea is simply foolish.

Dogs are highly motivated by food. Our dogs adore our letter carrier and Jack who delivers our oil. The meter reader hides in the car.

The best strategy is to avoid hiring people who fear dogs. Their fear alone guarantees risk. I suspect that this new rule is a sop to carriers who fear dogs. Should they be delivering letters to our homes anyway?

The second best is to allow treats. It's not just the food itself - it is the giving that creates a bond. Dogs don't need to get a treat every time. "Intermittent positive reinforcement" is the most powerful reinforcement as any parent knows. The food sets up the message to the dog that this person is OK.

So what is the plan now? How will this make dogs more accepting?

This is a serious tissue warning..
This is an emotional post, but a very heartfelt and WILL be a very happy ending...
Please keep this in mind and read on..
This past week has been one of non stop, every minute of my days, has been filled with animals and emotions.
I have been to the pound many days this past week. They were filled to capacity, like I've never seen it before.
As I passed the kennels, looking into each animal's eyes, nothing could prepare my heart, for the little red dog I was about to see..
She meekishly looked at me, her tail thumping the ground and her eyes pleading for a home to love her..
I could not move, I lowered myself to my knees and started to sob..
((I've been crying for days))
She had no ears..
Scars of new and old, all over her body and she is just a baby..
In more pain than I could ever imagine, she still could wag her tail.
Well, she has become my Christmas Gift.
Her name is "Noel" and has become a lesson in love, a memory that will never be forgotten.

Our best guess, judging by the extent of her injuries is that she was used as a bait dog.
If you are not familiar with the term, it's a dog that is use to train other dogs to fight.
Whatever the case this poor baby has had a hard life of pain..
She has old injuries, months old all over her body that have healed and new ones, open and full of infection.
She spent the nite at the vet, her first nite and is home with me now.
We're giving her lots of love and she's being medicated with lots of antibiotics.
It will take her time to heal but she is more than willing to love everyone she comes in contact with!!!
Very afraid of other dogs, that may be something she may not get over, but only time will tell.
She Loves to go for car rides and is very well behaved in the car.
If anyone would like to make her a hat with ears, I'm sure it will help boost her self confidence.
I think she is beautiful with or without ears!!!

I'm learning many things as I travel this journey with the animals..
They teach me so much about life and unconditional love.
As much as I want to blame, point fingers, get angry at the world, I've learned it's all wasted energy.
I let it go and live in the moment.
Blame is so easy, forgiveness is hard..
What I've learned is. to focus my energies on what I can do..
How I can make the future of these animals better.
The stories read here on this blog, prove that we all can make a difference together, each one of us doing our part.
You who read, who care, who love are all a part of this journey and with the intention of love that we all share and send out to the world, change will happen.. I believe this with all my heart.
Not fast enough, but we cannot ever give up hope.. Someday, things will be different and the world will be a better place..

So with this thought, I send out to all of you,
Blessings of Love and Light this Holiday Season..

Doesn't this story tell us so much about us - the bad and the good?

I fond that dogs teach us what it is to be human - all out latent cruelty and all our love and compassion.

They are also my meditation and reminder of how short and precious life is. above all they teach me how to give - for what being gives us more than a dog. Could you or I still give love after what she has endured?

http://aplacetobark.blogspot.com/2006/12/my-christmas-gift-noel.html