This is the moment when a loyal pooch gives up its breakfast sausage to perk up its six-year-old human friend.

The footage was shot by the girl’s father – named only as Mr Li – at the family home in Sanmenxia, Henan Province, western China.

Mr Li said that the unnamed girl and the pooch have been inseparable playmates since the family bought the dog some three years ago.

The two always play together and typically start off the day with the little lad having rice and sausage and sharing with her doggy pal.

But when the youngster was taken sick, the concerned dog noticed that the morning routine was upset.

So after sitting on the bed and watching the little girl cough and with an obvious fever, the dog surprised Mr Li by rushing to the kitchen and demanding a sausage.

Mr Li was astonished when the pooch rushed into the girl’s bedroom and dropped the sausage beside the girl’s pillow.

The dog was rather surprised when the girl simply turned over and went back to sleep.

But the gesture was widely praised online after it was shared by Mr Li, who said: “I thought the dog was going to the sausage itself and was really surprised when it gave it away.

“Dogs can be so human too.”