[BrianG]

Here's the situation. This weekend my 10 year old daughter was walking my 10 month old Rottie down a street next to mine when she noticed a white puff ball (Bichon) running after her and the dog, it caught up and bit the ankle of my dog, my dog turned around and grabbed that little dog by the tail and swung around a few times dropped it and went after a bird. My daughter did try to pull him away but once he had hold of the dog that was it. Once the dog was dropped he got up walked over and urinated on a bush with a very limp tail, then its owner came and retrieved it and proceeded to the vet. A neighbor of mine helped my daughter back home with the dog and I had her calm down and write a statement as to what happened. About this time animal control pulls up with the owner of the little dog and I go outside to deal with this. The owner asked me to help with the vet bill, I asked her why her dog was not on a leash, she said "excuses... why your daughter walk that monster, she is too small". Well needless to say owner went to the vet, I stayed and had a conversation with animal control and she concluded both parties were at fault, mine allowing my daughter to try and walk a big dog. I was not cited but was given a 10 day quarantine due to peircing the skin of the little dog. I attempted later that day to reimburse the owner half the vet cost and she blew me off and said she was too busy to deal with it. Sunday passed till about 8 pm when her and the breeder who lived 2 doors down came to my house with the bill in hand and they showed it to me and I explained I had cash to cover half since their dog was not on a lead. The breeder, said that's irrelevant, you had your daughter walking a dog she can't control, we want full reimbursment. At this time I called my wife out and I told her what the lady had said, my wife said "No, your dog attacked mine first and was not on a leash, therefore you will get only half." The breeder said in a belligerant tone "It does not matter about the leash" Your in the wrong here, Your daughter walked that dog down and it attacked ours".. An ourright lie and my neighbor is witness to prove that.
My wife said "this is done, get off my property", the breeder said "You'll be hearing from WAVY news 10". and left. We then went to my neighbor's house and he said call the police to get a record adn let them know you were harassed. We did and the officer said if they return, call me back but I am turning this over to animal control now and the A/C officer stayed answered more questions and put us at ease. He said the only way these people can do anything is to sue and they don't have a leg to stand on since their dog was not on a lead and the fact we were willing to cover half was more than enough.
Well needless to say, I think the local news is busy covering tornados, we've not seen them yet and the initial A/C is coming tomorrow to follow up and my wife will then fill her in. I've since documented all events with a time line to keep our ducks in a row should this go farther. Any worthwhile advice is appreciated. I don't hate little dogs, I have 2 of them, this was an unfortunate incident and we are trying to recoupe with out having a "dangerous dog" designation stuck to our Rottie pup.