Two Auckland police officers were in the right place at the right time to stop a big dog attacking a small dog this morning.

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North Shore Constables Jamie Foster and Aaron Ferguson were doing a routine patrol in a police car when they spotted the larger animal with its jaws wrapped around the neck of a pet paperanian called Prince.

Constable Foster got out of the vehicle and immediately prised the big dog's jaws from the small dog.

The larger dog has been identified as a greyhound.

The incident happened at the intersection of Manuka Road and Pemberton Avenue in Bayview at about 08.40am this morning.

The people looking after Prince have passed on their gratitude to police.

They say the action of Constable Foster saved the life of their paperanian by opening the jaws of the dog with his bare hands.

Prince is undergoing surgery for wounds to his neck.

Both dogs were on leads and were being walked at the time of the attack.