COMMENT: Attitudes over dog ownership need to change (From Witney Gazette)

Wow! Thats some pretty pursasive journalism. Now, lets look at it another way, lets try Factually. A bigger dog killed a smaller dog. The breeding isn't really important, is it?

The situation (as reported) is... Two children out walking dogs unsupervised in a public area. From what I've read so far its safe to assume both dogs were off lead?

If so BOTH dogs were out of control. Little dogs, are dogs also, decended from wolves, just like big dogs.
They can and will fight and challenge bigger dogs because they don't understand the finer points of humanaity and self preservation like we do and require guidence and training to learn how to deal with situations.

This situation could have been easily avoided by proper training and continual responsible pet ownership.

I was saddened to read that another dog was killed in an attack this week, also that it was reportedly a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

I quote from the Blue Cross web site:
Despite their tough image, Staffies are typically gentle, affectionate dogs who are huge people lovers and with the right training and socialisation they can make excellent family pets.

I have no reason to like these dogs, as my own pet, Freddie, was killed by 2 Staffies 3 years ago. I should point out to Samspinx that my dog was being walked on a lead by a professional dog handler, when my dog was approached by these dogs (not on leads), with young lad walking them. Freddie was ripped apart, flung in the air and died 24 hours later. The man and dogs disappeared..... what a surprise. I know now that the owner lives in Witney off the New Yatt Road. I would have accepted an apology and an assurance that they were muzzled in the future.

Sadly the amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act doesn't go far enough (if at all) deter dog owners being responsible for their pets around other dogs ie dog on dog attacks are unlikely to get to court. Under 18 years will also not receive custodial sentences.

In this case, from the report, it would appear the police arrived in time to take the dog and owner away.

I cannot begin to imagine how the young girl feels after this attack on the dog and hope that in time she'll be able to move on. Losing a pet is really hard, they are a member of the family and anyone with any compassion will know just how sad and traumatic that loss is.

Dingo was a family pet also ! He would not attack a child, he never has, he's soft lovable and friendly.

He was on his lead at the time of the attack, he was supervised by a 15 year old lad who did not have permission to take Dingo out alone whilst the owner was at work.

People need to stop playing this as a dangerous staff and big dogs should have a liscence situation. All dogs can be vicious if trained that way, small dogs more so some would say.

Staffs are more likely to lick you to death than attack you. We too have lost a family member now, not just this family with the dog that was not on a lead but in fact sat in the owners lap on the floor ! Dingo was on his lead, the lead unfortunately was faulty and when pulled back and clicked it did not work, to which he had more rain than usual.

Im so glad i found these comments, the journalism on this subject is so predjudist im outraged that they let it be worded that way. As a staffy owner myself i cant see how you can brand a whole breed by one dogs action. How can you say that dogs like these "staffys" should be muzzled surely ALL dogs should be muzzled after all they are ALL potentionally "DANGEROUS"!!! We need to stop kidding ourselfs and blaming breeds ALL dogs should be supervised and restrained. I own a staffy and a cat they get on like sisters, but i would not risk not putting my dog on a lead if i saw a cat. ALL ANIMALS ARE UNPREDICTABLE!! Doesnt make them bad its a natural instinct. Im sorry to both the familys that will be rightly so upset about the loss of their loved pets.