Dog trainer analyzes deadly Dighton dog attack

May 13, 2019 5:44 pm

DIGHTON, Mass. (WLNE) — Michelle Alexandre has been training dogs for 15 years.

She says the deadly dog attack in Dighton, while shocking and tragic, is a grim possibility in the back of every trainer’s mind.

“It just really lets you know that dogs, they are animals,” said Alexandre, of Patience Inspired Dog Training. “And they, no matter how well–trained, can be unpredictable.”

They can be unpredictable enough to turn against someone like 14–year–old Ryan Hazel, who had cared for the dogs multiple times.

“If something is different, if there’s a medical issue, if one of the dogs was pregnant, they would be much more protective,” Alexandre said. “Their owner wasn’t home. And this being more than two dogs, their behavior becomes much more of a pack mentality.”

Hazel’s age may have made a difference.

“Any time children are with dogs, dogs do not treat them the same as they will an adult,” Alexandre said. “They do not see them as leaders.”

And the breed of dog may also be a significant factor.

“Belgian malinois is used for search and rescue,” said the Coventry-based trainer. “They’re used for police protection. But they are a herding breed, so generally very protective of their flock.”

Alexandre says when a dog does become aggressive, it’s important to stand tall, but not make direct eye contact.

“Back away slowly,” she said. “If you have access to water, throw water at them. A loud noise, if you have a horn, signal with that. Any dog, any size, can turn into an animal at any moment.”