A PERTH man has been warned by a magistrate he faces time behind bars after he admitted stabbing his neighbour's dog after a fight erupted between the pair.

Silo Sagote faced court today over the stabbing in January, which happened after a row broke out between him his Redcliffe neighbour - over his neighbour’s two dogs.

During the fight one of the dogs, Bullet, is said to have gotten between the pair before Sagote stabbed him.

The two-year-old bull mastiff initially survived the attack following emergency surgery, but died two months later​.

​During his interview with police, Sagote told officers he happened to be armed with kitchen knives at the time of the 2am fight, because he was cutting onions and potatoes.

He pleaded guilty to being armed in a way that may cause fear and causing an animal unnecessary harm, but today asked to change his plea in the latter charge to not guilty.

His lawyer told the magistrate he admitted stabbing the dog but that it was in self defence.

The magistrate, however, told Sagote his guilty plea had already been entered and that he will need to apply to have that conviction overturned.​

"Once you've been convicted, you've been convicted," the magistrate said.