[hangglider]

Very unfortunate--your friend and the owner, IMO, are liable for what the dog did and should at the least be fully prepared to pay for all care, lost wages, etc. I wish you a speedy recovery and am glad you came through this with your basic love of dogs intact.

Many people have dogs and treat owning them like having goldfish--they think as long as they feed them and let them run free every now and then that is taking care of them. Many breeds have special attention needs that other breeds don't. Shepherds and pits need special attack/aggression control and training--otherwise they can turn even on the "home pack." Golden retrievers and labs are in general gentle and loving animals around children. Collies and huskies need constant room to run. The owners need to be prepared to meet those special needs--they are responsible one way or another for how their pets behave. I believe that's why you see so many dogs running wild--and are either shot, hit by cars or end up at the local animal rescue with a high probability of euthanasia. It turns out that dogs are more care than many people can or are willing to provide. It is pitiful--and a major reason why I tend to be cynical of human behavior when it comes to dogs.

Pits and pit mixes--while often affectionate to their owners--are notorious for vicious attack instincts and that I believe is a major reason for their popularity. I think there should be "dangerous breed permits" as a precondition for owning a breed like that.