Why do dogs attack humans?

I wish to refer to your article dated 28th June
instant with the caption "dog attack was unprovoked.'I
live in a mixed rural neighbourhood comprising of
malays, chinese and siamese in Kelantan.I love dogs
and animals in general but because of my proximity
with my malay neighbours I find it inappropriate to
keep them.However my siamese neighbours did not have
the same reservation and one actually kept a few
mongrel dogs as pets in their compound.Whenever the
young malay neighbourhood's children pass my siamese
neighbour's house they would throw pebbles and stones
at the sleeping dogs.This provacative acts caused the
dogs to bark and sometimes coming out of their
enclosures to chase the malay children.Sad to say this
act of provacation was not only confined to the malay
children but also to the adults malay.
We must not underestimate the intelligence of
dogs.From then on, these dogs will always inevitably
bark and chase malay children passing in front of my
siamese neighbour's house.Not surprisingly, the dogs
did not bark or chase any of the chinese or Siamese
children who had not provoked the dogs.
It is rather sad that muslims especially
children are taught at a young age to detest dogs in
view of their religious taboos.This instinctive
behaviour to attack and provoke dogs whenever they
come in contact is the cause of many attacks on malay
children or for that matter any children who choose to
provoke them unnecessarily.
Perhaps muslim religious ulamas could provide
some education that dogs like all other animals are
also God's creature and like all other animals they
deserve as much to live .