Dogs provide companionship to people and all owners are not bad - Yorkshire Post Letters

I am writing to you in response to recent letters about dog ownership.

Your columnist G P Taylor and letter contributors George Hornsey and Robert Booth state between them that all dogs are either potentially dangerous, unhygienic or of no use.

George Hornsey objects to ownership of dogs for their own selfish reasons yet he states that he trained sheepdogs and assistance dogs probably for his own reason of monetary gain.

He seems to think that he is the only person who has the god given gift to be able to successfully train a dog to a high level. He is wrong.

I have owned dogs all my life for companionship and to be a walking partner. All my dogs have been schooled by myself to be able to walk by my side off the lead and to be just as obedient as any sheep dog.

My present dog knows that I am the Alpha of the two of us and responds accordingly. He is not the only responsible dog owner.

Also many old people who live in isolation have dogs for companionship and not to work with them.

In conclusion do not tar everyone with the same brush as irresponsible bad dog owners.