That's the problem, this wasn't a dog. This was a dog/wolf hybrid, which is more aggressive than a normal dog. That's one reason why this is national news. The article also says that there were more children in the home too, so the owner should be charged with multiple charges of child endangerment as well as manslaughter in the death of the baby.

This isn't just a dog attack story.

Ok let's see. A quick google indicates that there are 76,811,305 pet dogs in the united states. A forbes article estimates there are 4.5 million dog bites per year, and about 800,000 of those require any sort of medical attention, and 30-50 of those are fatal. According to the CDC that's about the same as annual childhood deaths from the flu

For comparison:

48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC

Guns are also a leading cause of death in children and adolescents specifically

or what about

There are nearly 43,000 fatal [vehicle] crashes a year [in the US]

Also consider the positive effects of having a pet, which is proven to increase happiness

Then you also have to consider that many dog bites and attacks happen due to strays (~15% according to that same Forbes article), provocation, negligence, or abuse. The average family, if they are remotely dog literate, has very little to worry about. It seems to me a fear or hatred of these animals stems from ignorance, as does hatred and fear of many things.