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A four-year-old boy has died after his throat was ripped out by a Rottweiler in a savage attack at the family home.

The young victim was left in a pool of his own blood after the horrific incident in the village of Pishchanka in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region.

The boy, Denis, died at the scene from his injuries.

The youngster and his grandmother Olga were planning to take a walk when the tragedy occurred.

As Denis was waiting for his grandma in the courtyard, the three-year-old Rottweiler immediately went for the helpless child as soon as he came into the dog’s view.

“The dog went mad, jumped over the fence of its enclosure and pounсed on the child,” police said.

(Image: Police of Ukraine/ICTV)

Ludmila, a woman living next door who witnessed the tragedy described the attack to local media: ''The dog was chasing the boy all around the yard savagely mauling and tearing him.

''The blood was spraying in all directions. The yard turned red.

''The dog tore the child’s winter jacket and shoes off.

''Denis tried to hide behind a fence but got stuck between the bars.

''The dog immediately sank its teeth into his neck and ripped his throat out.''

(Image: Police of Ukraine/ICTV)

As the boy’s grandmother rushed outside towards his screams she was badly bitten herself as she tried to prevent the dog from killing her grandson.

A witness said the dog immediately calmed down and returned to its enclosure after killing the boy.

Paramedics attended the scene and saw the boy in a pool of his own blood and confirmed the child's death.

Forensics expert Igor Bursuk said: '"The boy's head, neck, chest, stomach and limbs were covered with severe lacerations.

'"He died from extreme blood loss.

'"The grandmother, who tried to fight the child off, received deep wounds to her arms.''

The killer Rottweiler was not aggressive when police arrived at the scene.

(Image: Police of Ukraine/ICTV)

Mr Bursuk said: ''Officers entered the yard with their guns drawn.

The dog was in its enclosure and behaved peacefully.

Local media reports suggest the dog was taken into the family home just three weeks ago, after dog lovers Olga and her husband Mykola lost their previous pet.

The Rottweiler had never shown any previous signs of violent behaviour.

Devastated family members decided to put the Rottweiler to sleep on the day of the attack.

''A vet came the same day and gave the dog an injection. It was calm and sad as if it knew it was going to die," said the neighbour Ludmila.

Local police are treating the incident as an accident.

Police spokeswoman Olga Mashko said: ''A series of forensic examinations is being conducted to establish whether the dog had diseases that could provoke such behaviour.''