I must say that it has been wonderfully therapeutic to be able to shout my mouth off on Mudcat and watch the replies (pro and anti) roll in. A bit like trolling, except that the underlying point is very serious.

Little Hawk, if your dachshund is male he is very welcome to come and pee in my garden, I believe the testosterone deters the foxes (I have been peeing out there too). Presumably female pee attracts them.

The sling is now off and all the bite holes are now dry except one which still has a dressing on it. My fingers work, my hand has got much of its grip back, but I still can't completely straighten the arm or lift anything heavy like a bucket of water or a pint of beer (but then I'm right off alcohol until the antibiotics are gone).

And I can play my concertina, for a little while at least. Result!!!!

On the wider issue, don't take me too literally. Dogs, like gunpowder and nuclear power, are morally neutral. It's what you do with them that is either good or bad.

I am gradually building up a picture of the dog owner, based on odd comments I have heard. He is a different sort of person from your average folkie Mudcatter, makes his income from renting out properties, is generally regarded as a bullshit merchant and obviously doesn't mind making enemies. He lives in a big house behind a shingle drive and an agressive dog, and I think I pity him because I don't have to do that.