Her father Jason Stock said before rushing to be with his daughter in hospital that the Staffordshire [pit bull terrier] had always been "fantastic".
"She's (his daughter) had a huge chunk ripped off her scalp," he said.
"It's not our dog. It's our in-law's dog. He's been fantastic so I don't know what's happened."
Paramedics arrived at the house just before 11 o'clock, 10 minutes after a 000 call.
Advanced life support paramedic Margaret Harris said the girl was on a swing when she was [attacked].
"The dog latched on to the girl and caused quite a deep wound on her forehead which extends into her hair," Ms Harris said.
The girl was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital in a stable condition.
The small dog was taken to a Yarra Ranges Shire pound.
Witnesses will be interviewed before the dog's fate is decided.
The attacks come two months after four-year-old Ayen Chol was mauled to death by a pit bull cross in her St Albans home.
The State Government has moved to introduce tough new laws which allow any unregistered restricted-breed to be seized and put down.
Restricted breeds must also be registered, desexed, microchipped and kept in a secure, escape-proof enclosure with warning signs.
(Daily Telegraph - Oct 14, 2011)
