The then 10-month-old dog has insisted his owner Jarrad Houghton turn back and investigate. Jarrad then spotted the hand of an eight-year-old fully-clothed girl who was struggling in the water after falling off the boardwalk.

She was then safely returned to her parents at a nearby restaurant.

The tale (tail?) of Canberra's canny canine attracted the attention of the Rottweiler Club of NSW which will use its latest show in Sydney on Saturday to present Basil with a hero's award.

Club secretary Karen Green said Jarrad would receive a plaque, with Basil in tow. It was understood to be the first award of its kind given by the club.

"It's a keepsake they can have for saving the child," she said.

Mrs Green said Basil's actions were a good news story against the tragic death of a one-year-old girl mauled by a rottweiler in Inverell, in north-west NSW.

She said rottweilers who attacked were often mixed breeds but only the first breed was usually listed on a council's database.

Mrs Green who has five rottweilers - and a cat - said the dogs were a breed who assessed a situation before they reacted.

"I breed them and I ensure their temperaments are bullet-proof. I would expect anyone to walk up and pat my dog," she said.

"It's all about where they're bred, how they're bred. No dog is going to thrive being dumped in a backyard and ignored. They need to be nurtured."

Congratulations Basil.