Protective dog drags owner’s granddaughter to safety to stop her getting washed away

A HEROIC hound saved at little girl from "drowning" after she was hit by a tiny wave on a beach in France.

The caring pet feared the youngster - his owner's granddaughter - would be dragged away by the mild currents and quickly sprang into action.

Loyal Matyas was in the shallows near Gouville-sur-Mer, France, with the little girl when a small ripple trickled over the top of her.

He had been standing guard over the girl - who looks about six or seven - while she played in the waters just yards from her family.

However, when the wave hit the giant pooch clearly feared the worst and gently grabbed hold of her T-shirt with his teeth and dragged her to the safety of the sand.

The little girl can be heard laughing as Matyas pulls her out of the water, only letting go when he thinks she is out of any kind of danger.

Footage of the moving moment - filmed on August 3 - has now been shared online and it already has more than one million views.

Many of those to have seen the hilarious clip were quick to praise mighty Matyas for his adorable actions.

One wrote: "Nice to have such a smart dog around... he watches that little girl better than many adults would."

Another said: "He's doing his job protecting her. Good doggy."

While another added: "The dog is absolutely special and (what a) wonderful beautiful video."

The clips also sparked a debate online as to the breed of the hero dog with many suggesting he was either a Sarplaninac, a Leonberger, a Keeshond, or a Newfoundland.