Trafford-James Jackson-Poole could be left scarred for life after he was attacked by a Japanese Akita at his family's local pub in Newbold, Derbyshire.
His distraught mother Gemma Jackson says that her young son was lucky not to lose an eye in the mauling.
Doctors stitched up a four inch gaping wound which stretches from Trafford-James's left ear to his mouth but the youngster could be left with a permenant scar.
Gemma, 28, and Trafford-James had been at the Nag's Head pub in the village just north of Chesterfield and were about to leave when he wandered off into another room and was attacked by the dog.
Ms Jackson heard screams and seconds later her son emerged with blood pouring from his face.
He was rushed to Chesterfield Royal Hospital, but later needed treatment at a specialist unit at Sheffield Children's Hospital because of the extent of his injuries.
The mother-of-three is now demanding that the dog be destroyed. She said: 'We had a lovely time at the pub and we were just about to leave when Trafford-James wandered off while my back was turned.
'He was gone in a flash and then I heard a dog barking. Trafford James suddenly appeared, he was screaming and holding his face, there was blood everywhere.
'I was in complete shock, I did actually think "is he going to die?".
Doctors hope that Trafford-James has not suffered nerve damage but will not be able to tell for sure until swelling completely dies down.
Ms Jackson added: 'The doctors have been marvellous and they are hopeful he will make a full recovery but they won't know for a few weeks. I realise now that he is a lucky little boy because it could have been so much worse, it's frightening to think what could have happened because those dogs have a a bad reputation.
'Trafford-James has been very quiet since he was attacked and has not really been the lively little boy he normally is.
'He used to like dogs but he won't go near them now and he is terrified when he hears them barking.
'As far as I know the dog is still around but I think it should be destroyed straight away.
'It is dangerous, it has bitten one child and it could easily happen again and next time the consequences could be even worse.'
A Derbyshire police spokesman said of the most recent attack: 'A child was bitten on the face in the Nag's Head on December 30 and inquiries into the incident are ongoing.'
The pub refused to comment.
Marston's, the brewery which owns the Nag's Head, said: 'This matter is currently in the hands of the police.'
Japanese Akita's are powerful dogs that can grow to weigh more than nine stone. They are not included in the Dangerous Dogs Act, but there has been several attacks by the breed.
Last July seven-year-old Shannon Rennie needed 10 stitches in her face after she was attacked by one of the dogs.
And in May 2012, Simon Hryhoruk watched in horror as his daughter Amy was knocked to the ground by a Japanese Akita which clamped its jaws around her head.
When Mr Hryhoruk went to the aid of his daughter, the eight stone dog turned on him and he needed two operations and dozens of stitches to recover from his injuries.
(DailyMail - Jan 10, 2013)
