A hungry dog bit off and then ate a man’s toe when he kicked it for begging at the dinner table during a party with pals.

The incident took place at a property in Hellersdorf in the German capital Berlin at around 11.30pm on 27th December.

In total, five pals were enjoying a pleasant dinner together but the dog, breed unknown, had been annoying one guest by staring at his plate and begging for food.

The unnamed 28-year-old, who said the dog was making him feel uncomfortable, had tried to shove it away, and ended up being bitten on the cheek after he bent down.

The victim went to the bathroom to inspect the superficial facial wound and then when he came back to the table, spotted the dog again in the hallway.

Apparently angered by the previous incident, the man reportedly drew his leg back to kick the dog, which then grabbed onto his foot as he swung his leg, and tore off one of his toes.

The Berlin police said that the other guests restrained the dog and locked it on the balcony while an ambulance was called for the diner left with a missing digit.

A search by emergency services for the missing digit was unsuccessful and it was reported that the dog had eaten it.

None of the guests would own up to being the dog’s owner to officers who arrived on the scene.

The police said that they are currently unable to provide any further information on the age and breed of the dog or the current health status of the injured diner.

The investigation is ongoing.