I READ with sadness another attack on a small breed dog recently, my sympathies to those involved. Unfortunately this seems to be a relatively regular event which is obviously horrific for the animal as well as the owners.

Whilst it often seems to be certain breeds involved in these articles, in my limited experience a lot of the bull terrier breeds I have come across on walks tend to be passive and friendly.

Any dog can turn aggressive to either other animals or humans however the damage is often more severe with a larger, stronger dog.

As an animal lover I would not like to see harm come to any pet, other animal or indeed person.

However there are things that can be done to both minimise the possibility of an attack and also bring it to a swift conclusion should the worst happen; even the strongest and fiercest dogs can be immobilised with certain techniques, most of which will not permanently harm the attacking animal.

I would urge people who feel concerned to use the internet or library to read up or watch instructional videos on how to make an attacking dog release its grip.

Perhaps the Bournemouth Echo could run a feature offering advice?

BRETT TAPPIN

Cleveland Gardens, Bournemouth