WARNING: Graphic content
A Michigan mother has shared the heartbreaking story of how her family’s dog attacked her infant daughter, saying she believes the animal’s aggression toward her may have played a role in the gruesome mauling.
Heather and Nicholas Harris brought home a Weimaraner named Remington in 2021 when the puppy was just eight weeks old.
Ms Harris said they decided on the breed, a German hunting dog, as it was her husband’s dream dog.
“My husband had wanted that breed his whole life,” she told Kennedy News & Media, according to People.
While the dog quickly bonded with her husband, Ms Harris said her and Remington’s relationship was very different.
“He was obsessed with my husband and hated me,” adding that Remington became “super clingy” with Mr Harris.
As the dog grew older, the couple began noticing troubling behaviour. Ms Harris said Remington lashed out at the family’s other dog on several occasions, prompting a visit to a vet.
“He was put on a mood stabiliser and had been on the pill for about eight months. There hadn’t been any more incidents, but he still had some issues sharing,” she explained.
Later in 2023, the couple welcomed their daughter Savannah but their lives changed forever the following year.
In October 2024, Ms Harris was at home with her then 11-month old daughter, who was moving around the kitchen in a baby walker.
Although she was careful to supervise her daughter around Remington, disaster struck in an instant.
“I’d always tried never to keep my eyes off her or leave her in a room with him unattended,” she said.
Moments later Ms Harris heard Remington snarl at Savannah, followed by “a loud scream” from her daughter.
“He literally took a chunk of her cheek out,” she said of Remington.
“There was blood everywhere. The chunk was on the floor. It was so traumatic.”
Little Savannah was rushed to a children’s hospital with severe injuries to her cheek, where surgeons fitter her with a bio engineered synthetic skin replacement designed to help regenerate tissue in her face.
After the attack the toddler underwent further operation to remove scar tissue and is due to have her final procedure next month.
“There’ll always be a scar. As a mother, I’ll do and pay whatever I can to reduce the look of it, but she’ll always have a scar there,” Ms Harris said.
“I think if he had gotten her in the right spot, he probably could’ve killed her.”
Remington was euthanised in the wake of the mauling.
Reflecting on what happened, Ms Harris said she believed the dog may have lashed out at Savananah because of the bond Remington shared with her husband and apparent dislike of her.
“He just loved my husband and I felt Savannah was the one thing he could get back at me for,” she said.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails