Bad dog: Man's best friend turns into a daily threat for Wagga posties

Each week, Australia Post reports an average of 55 dog-related incidents, with 408 attacks on its staff within the last six months.

While only two of these attacks were reported in Wagga, postie Scott Cochrane has said dogs are constantly a threat to the mail run.

"You're very very cautious going up to that particular area, environment or street, you sneak up there very warily," he said.

"I've had dogs chase me, and they've been very close to grabbing me."

Half the dog attacks reported were on a person's property, with one in three dog attacks occurring at a customer's front door, according to Australia Post's data.

The front doorstep was where one of Mr Cochrane's colleagues was recently attacked while delivering a package in Wagga.

"As soon as she [dog owner] opened the door, one of the dogs flew past her and grabbed him [the postie] on the hand, and cut him open where he needed six stitches," Mr Cochrane said.

"You can understand the trauma it causes the delivery officer."

He wants dog owners to keep their dogs restrained, and to understand that their pet can be a danger to others.

Australia Post will halt deliveries to homes that have received multiple warnings about dog behavior.

Sometimes they will need to stop delivering to entire streets, if the owners fail to comply.

"I find that a dog is only as out of control as its owner is," Mr Cochrane said.

Australia Post also reports dog-related incidents to council rangers and the pound.

Dog trainer Carmen McGill said dogs will sometimes attack when they have pent up energy, and haven't been socialised by their owner.

"It hasn't learnt how to experience difference scenarios, experiences or environments, so a lot of times they become fearful," she said.

"If they feel that they are really threatened, they'll bite."

Ms McGill believes dogs should be trained to ensure they are not a threat to the community, and themselves.

"Owners need to have better leash control in circumstances, and understand this unruly behaviour is not acceptable in our society," she said.

Smaller dogs are becoming increasingly aggressive, according to Ms McGill and Australia Post's reports.

"All breeds are capable of biting, it only take a split second for a reaction to happen," she said.

Riverina Water inspectors also encounter dogs while conducting meter checks.

They will leave a letter to owners in the case of aggressive dog behaviour.

"Over the years there have been some rare incidents of meter reading staff encountering aggressive dogs, but no serious injuries have been reported," engineering director Troy van Berkel said.

"If accessing a water meter means there is a risk of a dog attack, staff members will avoid reading the meter, and will instead seek to contact the animal owner to arrange for the dog to be restrained while the meter is read."

In 2022, a meter reader was fatally attacked by dogs on a property near Brisbane, while conducting a routine meter inspection.