As a dog owner, I have nothing but sympathy for Steelers linebacker James Harrison. Last week, Mr. Harrison's pit bull bit his 2-year-old son and injured the boy's mother and a friend when they intervened to stop the attack.

Fortunately, James Harrison III is on the mend and has returned home from a short stay at the hospital. Patron, Mr. Harrison's dog, is still in quarantine. For his part, Mr. Harrison did what any loving father would do -- he chose the safety of his child over his friendship with his dog.

When Mr. Harrison said he was seriously considering putting the dog down, many dog lovers offered suggestions they hoped would spare Patron's life. Perhaps Mr. Harrison was listening. Recently, he said he was looking for ways to spare his four-legged friend's life.

This is a relief to those of us with a deep affection for dogs in general and pit bulls in particular. As the owner of a dog that is part pit bull, I've seen fear in the eyes of mail carriers and Jehovah's Witnesses when she starts barking at the front door.

My dog was born with a bad reputation, though she has done nothing to earn it. At 4 years old, the closest Leila has ever come to hurting anyone is licking them excessively. Her pattern is to bark once or twice before pushing her nose -- sometimes rudely -- into the personal space of anyone silly enough to visit.

Leila inhales every bit of information she can about a person upon meeting them. After several deep sniffs, she uploads the data to a section of her brain labeled "friends." She then wags her tail and butt while offering her powerful head and neck to be scratched. It is undignified behavior bordering on wimpy, but it is part of Leila's seductive charm.

Leila came to live with our family four years ago. I was in Michigan at the time, so my wife dealt with the ordeal of putting our 16-year-old cat to sleep after he contracted feline dementia.

When my wife called to tell me that our boys adopted a pit bull puppy, and not a golden retriever, I wasn't pleased. I had visions of a slavering hellhound devouring neighbors and sneaking off to dog fights in Homewood.

On my next visit home, I was prepared to hate Leila. After years of watching "The Wire" and believing every bit of hysteria ever written about the breed, I had developed a deep-seated prejudice against pit bulls.

When a slightly awkward white puppy greeted me at the door, it was love at first sight. She followed me around the house that weekend as if she already knew we were destined to be lifelong friends.

Leila has become a beloved member of the family. Even so, she would have to go if she ever displayed a moment of anti-social behavior or bit anyone -- especially a child.

Friendships between humans and dogs go back tens of thousands of years. We hunted together on African savannahs and huddled together during the Ice Age for mutual warmth and protection. We know each other pretty well, but there are limits. We don't always understand each other or what constitutes a provocation.

When a dog acts inexplicably violent, as Patron did when it bit James Harrison's son, trust in that family has been broken. It would be a folly to proceed as if it couldn't happen again. Having said that, I agree with those who insist Patron needs a new home where there aren't any children present, not a death sentence.

The decision is Mr. Harrison's. But for the sake of his old friend, I hope he can find room in his heart to forgive Patron. A dog's life is worth a lot more than the weight of one mistake.

The news that Pittsburgh is hosting the G20 Summit in September isn't a source of pride for everyone around here. Local activist Vincent Scotti Eirene thinks it is "awful and upsetting" and believes local protesters will turn out to show their displeasure in big numbers -- peacefully, of course.

"I've heard rumors they were considering Pittsburgh," he said. "They picked [us] because they think [we] will be an easy mark because we're working-class and Catholic and have an older population. They are sorely mistaken."

A veteran of protests all over the world -- Vince is looking forward to Sept. 24 and 25, when President Barack Obama hosts his first major international conference, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Yinzers of the world -- unite!