[Janus'sMom]

I hate to say this, but IMO it soulds like the owner of the small dog is just after the $$$. They don't care that they're at fault. "It's always the other person's fault." I personally wouldn't offer them a dime since it was their dog that was off lead, and their dog that bite your dog to begin with. And the outragiousness of them saying that their daughter was traumatized just to get money out of you (no matter how much or what the percentage of the bill), like other posters have said, your daughter was traumatized as well. Some questions to ask them next time you talk to the husband, ask him this "If your dog was bigger would you have had it on a leash?" " If your dog was bigger and this happened and it bit my daughter what would you think would happen then? Would you still be asking for (whatever amount) money from me?" "If you had a larger dog that had no wounds from the incident and mine did, would you be compensating me and offering me money for my dog's vet bill?" ( You know he probably wouldn't have.)

Long story short, I'd try to make them see all the possibilities of "what could have happened" and the "what if's" to try to get them to understand why the leash law is important and for EVERY DOG OWNER OF EVERY AGE, BREED, AND SIZE. And that if he and his family would have followed the leash law, then this wouldn't have happened.

And I have to agree that your daughter shouldn't have been walking your dog by herself. And I'm glad to hear that you have you dog back without any problems with the law about this. And now that you and your daughter both walk your dog together, it's just one more activity that you can enjoy with her.

And here's a question to ask the other owner... "Regardless of who was walking the "big Rotti" since the little dog was off leash, would the little dog still have gone after your dog, and "possibly" still get bitten by the defending Rotti? And still having to go to the vet's and have a vet bill on hand now?"