[West Ender]

I'll never get tired of saying this - and it's not long since I last did - dogs are not born vicious. A dog's behaviour is the result of its upbringing.

Different traits have been bred into varying breeds over centuries. The bull terrier was selectively bred, originally, with a very strong jaw and big muscles to be a fighting dog - to fight and harrass bulls. Inbreeding selected those more disposed to fight than run.

Any responsible owner of a bull terrier, or any other dog, will train it and socialise it while always being aware of its underlying inbred nature. The result is a good dog.

The trouble lies with the owner, usually male, who only has a dog to reinforce how "hard" he is. He hasn't got a clue about dog-training and he doesn't want a faithful companion, he wants something to swagger about with and intimidate others. If his dog harms someone, he's to blame.