Not that the dog killer guy couldn't be a 14 karat a-hole, but the shovel story is apparently without corroboration from the neighbor or other witnesses. Possible he was engaged in hyperbole, venting frustration at a barking dog next door by an imagined whack job.
The problem with Huff Post stories is, if they have one weak journalistic link, then its all questionable. They seem like the Left counterpart to the NY Post.
The Kristi Noem part, however, is accurate AFAICT.