This is the heroic moment a drowning dog in Thailand showed its clever survival instincts by biting onto a rope so it could be hauled to safety.

The stray pooch had fallen into the canal and was seen struggling to stay afloat, unable to climb up the vertical concrete sides.

However, passer-by Nattapat Chadakorn and a friend found a rope and lowered it to the breathless dog in Bangkok on December 27.

Footage shows how the smart animal realised it had to bite the rope and hold on for its life while the lad pulled it to dry ground.

Safely out of the water, it then laid down in the grass with its tummy showing affectionately before springing to its feet and walking back to its rescuers.

Nattapat said: ‘I was driving to buy food with a friend and we saw the dog that had fallen in the water. It looked like it was tired and had been there for a long time.

‘I knew that if we didn’t get the dog out of the water, it would not survive. Thankfully we helped him in time.’