Dogs are pack animals. This one was temporarily deprived of its pack - the grandparents -who might well have pack control of it when present. It was faced, unguided, with another pack of relative strangers, some of whom,(having myself seen small children with large dogs) probably displayed inappropriate reactions, like staring into the dogs' eyes.

Staring is a challenge, whether to Canis Lupus or its subspecies domesticus. Rottweilers were not bred as lapdogs: some of them are unpredictable at the best of times. Its reactions were going to be more extreme than a soft mouthed breed. So it did exactly what a wolf would do - it defended its territory by attacking the weakest member of the "opposing" pack, in this case.

I am very sorry for the family involved, but I'm afraid I cannot be surprised. They need educating before taking on another "pet". Dogs cannot be trusted with any small human they do not know, nor any child under 4 even if part of the family, until the child can understand some of the necessary rules of relating to a dog. Nor when separated from their bonded pack.

Happy New Year from me, my alpha male, my wolfhound cross and my border collie. Both of the dogs are rescues that we have made a pack.

Paws