Hero Chihuahua dies in Queensland snake battle

A Gold Coast woman believes her beloved Chihuahua was trying to save her when it took on a deadly brown snake in her yard, costing the tiny pooch its life.

Image of Cooper, the dog that died after a battle with a snake Source: Supplied

A Gold Coast woman is mourning the loss of her beloved Chihuahua after it died in a David and Goliath battle with a brown snake.

Evangeline Lim, 54, believes 10-year-old Cooper was trying to save her when he took on the highly venomous snake just as she was about to step outside to hang out her washing last week.

"The snake was upside down and Cooper was on top of it and wrestling," the Hope Island woman told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"He was obviously saving me from the snake."

Ms Lim and her partner managed to rescue Cooper, by putting a pot plant on top of the snake but the tiny pooch had been bitten, and died within about 10 minutes.

Ms Lim says locals need to be aware that deadly snakes may be lurking in their backyards, while security officers at their Riverleigh Drive gated estate have reported spotting snakes every day.