Kaylie Ann Foster, who was saved from the dog's clutches by relatives, needed 100 stitches in her face, which was left swollen and bruised.
She will need plastic surgery after the attack, which occurred on Sunday at her father's home in Stockton, California.
She told Fox 40 that she never liked the five-year-old pet dog, Andy, because 'she was mean'.
The dog was killed by the relatives as it sunk its teeth into the girl, but it is not known how.
Her mother Kiersten Foster, who is divorced from Kaylie's father, added that she had always been concerned about the dog.
'I was in fear of the dog being around my daughter and I talked to her father about it repeatedly,' she said.
She added that her pleas had never been taken seriously by Kaylie's father.
'It tried to kill my daughter. It wasn't a family pet that accidentally nipped her and then ran away and was like "oops",' she continued.
'This was a dog that tried to kill my child that her father knew my feelings about.'
The dog should have been better supervised, the mother added.
Kaylie's father's family said they are now focused on the girl's healing and will do everything to support that.
No charges have been filed by police, but Child Protective Services is investigating the incident.
(Daily Mail UK - July 10, 2012)
