Mailboxes are important because they ensure that you’re able to receive your mail properly. These mailboxes are designed to protect your mail so that it will be okay when you get home and receive your letters or packages.
Have you noticed that your mailbox smells like pee? This could be because wild dogs and your neighbor’s dogs like to pee on mailboxes.
Why is it so common for dogs to pee on mailboxes? Is there something about mailboxes that dogs find appealing?
Continue reading to get more information about this topic. You’ll also get some tips about what you can do to protect your mailbox.
Why Does This Happen?
So why do dogs seem to enjoy peeing on mailboxes specifically? It isn’t clear why mailboxes seem to be appealing as a spot for dogs to do their business.
However, it is known that dogs like to pee as a method of communication. When one dog pees in an area, other dogs will be able to smell that the dog was there.
Another dog might come up to the same spot and will pee in roughly the same spot. Your mailbox could be getting urinated on by dogs so frequently because the dogs keep smelling the pee of other dogs.
As annoying as this is, it’s something that is perfectly natural for dogs to do. A dog doesn’t understand that peeing on the mailbox is inconvenient for you.
It might choose to pee on the mailbox simply because it smells that other dogs have peed in the area. Dogs like to pee on things to “mark their territory,” after all.
So what you’re seeing is something as simple as dogs marking their territory and trying to tell the other dogs in the area that this spot belongs to them. It is indeed something that you don’t want the dogs to do, but you can’t keep the dogs from having natural instincts.
How to Stop Dogs From Peeing On Mailbox
There are a few different methods that you can try when you want to stop dogs from peeing on your mailbox. Some of these methods might be very practical while others are less so.
Examine all of the options and then decide which ones sound good to you. Hopefully, this will help you to solve the problem so your mailbox won’t smell like dog urine moving forward.
1 – Install a Fence
Installing a fence is one way to try to keep dogs away from the mailbox. There are a few ways to go about doing this.
You could install a low fence around the perimeter of the mailbox. This allows the postal worker to still access the mailbox, but the dog won’t be able to get to it.
Of course, some dogs are rather good at jumping. The practicality of this measure might not be worth the time depending on the situation.
Another idea is to put your mailbox behind a fenced-in area. If your yard has a proper fence, dogs shouldn’t be able to jump over it.
This will keep dogs out of your yard and your mailbox will be safe. The postal worker will be able to open the gate and deliver the mail as usual, but dogs can’t open gates.
2 – Cayenne Pepper and Chili Powder
This next method might seem to be a little mean. You can mix cayenne pepper and chili powder together to create a deterrent.
The basic idea involves using this mixture around the mailbox post. If dogs go up to the mailbox, they’re going to experience irritation due to the presence of the pepper and the chili powder.
In some cases, dogs might experience itching and could get a light rash. Most dogs will simply avoid going near the mailbox since they won’t like the smell.
Usually, this method works well to deter dogs from getting close to the mailbox. Your local postal workers might not appreciate the smell either, though.
The same can be said for using vinegar. Vinegar usually helps to keep dogs at bay, but it’ll also make the mailbox area kind of stinky.
3 – Bird Tines/Spikes
Some have gone so far as placing bird tines around the mailbox area. These are essentially little spikes that people use to keep birds from perching on fences or other areas.
Putting these same spikes on the ground near the mailbox will prevent dogs from getting too close. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this idea can work fairly well.
It doesn’t truly harm the dogs, but it keeps them from getting close to the mailbox. You could use this as a good way to keep dogs from peeing on the mailbox.
Your local postal workers will be wearing shoes and shouldn’t have problems with the bird spikes. It might be worth a shot.
4 – Try Talking to Your Neighbors
Are your neighbor’s dogs the ones that are peeing on your mailbox? If so, you could simply try to talk to them about it.
Attempt to politely ask them if they could keep the dogs away from your mailbox. This might be enough to get the dogs to stop since the owners will do a better job of keeping them from walking in that direction.
If this doesn’t work, it might be best to try the deterrent options above. Some people will be more reasonable to talk to than others.
Final Thoughts
Dogs pee on mailboxes because they like to mark their territory. When a dog pees on an upright object, it’s communicating with other dogs in the area.
It’s letting the other dogs know that it’s there and that it claims the area. Of course, other dogs will often annoyingly pee on the object again in response.
To try to keep this from happening, you can use deterrent methods. Try using cayenne pepper and chili powder to keep the dogs from going near the mailbox.
Bird spikes can work nicely to make it hard for the dogs to get close to the mailbox. You could also install a small fence around the mailbox to protect it.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to solve this issue and keep local dogs from peeing on your mailbox. It can be a real annoyance, but there are things that you can try that might mitigate the problem.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies…I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house.