This is the amusing moment a pet Shiba Inu was on edge when confronted with a robot dog.

Footage shows the seemingly threatened dog barking at the machine in Sichuan, China, on March 3.

The animatronic, with a basket attached to its back, can be seen moving towards the pooch, appearing to want to 'make friends' with it.

However, the leashed animal backed away, attempting to shoo and intimidate the machine.

The pet owner said: 'We tried to introduce my dog to the robot, but he visibly didn't like the interaction.'

Human and animal-like robots are being developed in several countries, with China and the United States leading the 'tech arms race'.

A military-style robot dog was even seen protecting President-Elect Donald Trump in Florida earlier this month.

Eccentric billionaire Elon Musk, who played a prominent role in Trump's recent U.S. election victory, recently presented Optimus, describing it as a multi-functional assistant capable of handling household chores, playing with children, and assisting with various repetitive tasks.