ENFIELD, Conn. (AP) – The state Department of Correction is teaching postal workers in New England and New York to deal with angry dogs.

A new DVD that provides methods for avoiding attacks shows a trained dog named Brady assailing a correction officer dressed as a postal worker.

“The whole concept of the video was to get something new out there to bring about safety awareness that there are dogs out there that can attack,” said Scott Reynolds, postal service safety specialist.

Reynolds said the DVD gained a lot of attention after it was distributed statewide to 218 postal offices in June – so much that it has been introduced to other postal districts in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts.

Ron Fredey, postal human resource manager in Boston, said he’s never seen a more convincing video.

“We watched it and we thought so much of it that we duplicated it and sent it out to every one of our delivery units in the Boston area,” Fredey said.

There were 36 dog attacks last year on postal workers in Connecticut and 3,268 incidents nationwide, according to postal service statistics.

Reynolds said the idea for the how-to video took shape after the Enfield postmaster invited a canine correction officer to give a dog attack demonstration.

“The carriers really responded to him,” he said.

Canine correction officer David Carroll said his team was happy to help out the postal service. Brady’s handler even retrained the 1 1/2-year-old German shepherd to attack a satchel rather than human flesh.

“I never really realized how dangerous that job can be,” Carroll said.

A scene in the nine-minute-video unfolds with Brady assaulting a correction officer in front of a mail truck. The officer begins to shout while keeping his mail satchel between him and the dog. While he yells he pushes the dog back with his bag and climbs into the truck.

At the end of the video, the officer points out that finding a safe place to get away from the dog is important and yelling helps get attention from anyone nearby.

Finally, the video explains that carriers should report aggressive dogs to animal control officials.

Because mail carriers are usually only armed with Mace and a silent whistle, carriers are asked to maintain constant vigilance.

Joe Patty’s unexpected encounter two years ago with a dog on his Bristol mail route left an indelible paw print in his memory.

“Sometimes it’s so fast you don’t have the time to react especially when you have mail in your hands,” Patty said.

Mirek Kerzkiewicz, a Meriden mail carrier, said avoiding dogs is about being cautious and knowing the route.

“It’s (the video) helpful but you still have to use your common sense,” he said. “It reminds you but it doesn’t protect you.”

AP-ES-08-21-05 1215EDT