Denis Rolls spoke about his ordeal after Marleen Sanderson, who was responsible for the labrador dog at the time, was sentenced by Weymouth magistrates.
She was ordered to pay £2,200 in compensation and costs.
Mr Rolls, an avid amateur saxophonist from Weymouth, said: “My finger was bitten through the bone and all the insides were gone. It was hanging on by a piece of skin.
“One of my arteries was damaged, it was horrible, there was blood everywhere. It took four nurses to stop the bleeding, I went into shock I think.”
He added: “My son Madison, who was six, was with me when it happened.
“It was awful for him to see, he has nightmares and won’t leave the house if there’s a dog outside. It’s really shaken his confidence.
“I’m just really thankful it was me and not him – the fact that he wasn’t physically hurt is the only good thing about all this.”
The retired driving instructor, who has two other children, was advised by surgeons to have his little finger amputated but said he fought against it because of his love of saxophone playing.
Mr Rolls, of Reedling Close, Weymouth, said: “I had to battle the surgeons to save my finger.
“They were furious anyone could go through what I have bec-ause of a dog being off the lead.
“They wanted to amputate straight away but as soon as I heard about reconstructive surgery I knew it was the right option.”
He added: “Now I know why they were against it, cosmetically I’ve got a finger but I can’t use it.
“It hurts whenever I move it and I won’t be able to play saxophone again.
“I was in and out of Salisbury Hospital about 25 times within a few months.
“I couldn’t drive for two months, it’s had a huge impact on my life.”
Mr Rolls said: “The woman walking the dog was right there but she didn’t even say sorry – I’ve never had an apology. She wouldn’t even put the dog on the lead afterwards, and this was next to a children’s playground with my little son right there.
“The relief was unbelievable when they said guilty in court, to be put through all this for a year was hell. Court gave me closure, the sentence didn’t really matter, all I ever wanted was for the dog to be stopped from attacking anyone else.”
(Bournemouth Echo - August 27, 2012)
