There was another dog incident a couple of days ago at a nearby
supermarket, 3 kids of various ages were walking by when they saw a dog
with it's owner sitting on a bench, they asked if they could pat the dog
and while doing so the dog at some stage lunged and tore the face of a
5 yo.

I feel that these tragedies are so avoidable. I remember once many years
ago when I was sitting with Sam and a kid came up and stared directly at
Sam eye to eye, Sam barked at him nothing more but it made me realise
just how careful you have to be and I'm always attentive with my dogs
around people now. Sam is a very passive, friendly dog and loves people
but with the wrong body language displayed by a person dogs can react
out of character, although in hindsite in a very predictable way.

The dog in the attack is to be put down. I can't help but wonder if that
wasn't possibly a similar incident to mine where the 5 yo simply
displayed threatening body language to an otherwise friendly dog and the
dog reacted in , basically a predictable manner. The thing is that could
be any dog anywhere so if that is the case it seems unfair to put the
dog down, it's really just a revenge killing and does nothing to help
solve the supposed "mystery" of these attacks.

It would be good if there was a better public awareness about what not
to do in the presence of a dog and also for dog owners to have to be
made aware of how dogs will or may react in certain circumstances. A lot
of the time it is just ignorance on the dog owners and joe public who
simply aren't aware such incidents are just a stare away. Instead all
that happens is more cries for all dogs to be muzzled or banned from all
public areas etc..

Paul