[link to www.dailymail.co.uk]

A dog has been hailed a hero for saving his owner from a rattlesnake, taking a nasty bite to the face in the process.

The golden retriever named Todd was on a hike with his owner Paula Goodwin in Anthem, Arizona, on Friday when the pair came across a rattlesnake.

Just as Goodwin was about to unknowingly step on the snake, Todd spotted it and jumped in front of his owner's leg.

Unfortunately his heroism did was not without consequences as the rattler bit him in the face, causing his cheek to swell dramatically.

Goodwin posted photos of the recovering retriever on her Facebook with the caption: 'My hero of a puppy Todd saved me.'

Todd was taken to the Anthem Animal Hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

The photos of him appearing to smile despite his injured face have gone viral on social media with fans praising his courage and positive attitude.

One popular Twitter account called We Rate Dogs posted about Todd with the caption: 'This is Todd. He saved his human from a rattlesnake yesterday. A true h*ckin hero. He’s expected to make a full recovery and has been rewarded our fifth ever 15/10.'

The post has been liked more than 131,000 times.