Woof. That’s an ugly way to die, if true.
Being torn apart by dogs is probably one of the worst ways to die. It’s usually not very quick.
It's probably true. A young dictator has to quickly consolidate his power, and there's no better way to do it than through terror. People in the "inner circle" will count to a billion by ones before risking a death so grisly. However, if you threaten them too much, they'll take the risk in the belief they have nothing to lose. It's a fine line.