Border collie rescued by police 200m out to sea off Mornington Peninsula coast

Police officers have come to the rescue of a dog trying to swim to Melbourne from the Mornington Peninsula.

Bowie the border collie was about 200 metres from the shore when he was spotted struggling in the ocean after escaping from a Mornington yard across the road from the beach.

First Constable Travis Perkins was the hero who jumped in the water to save the tired two-year-old pup.

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Speaking this morning on 3AW, First Constable Perkins said it was a "howler of a day".

"About 2.30pm we had a report come through the radio our four-legged friend had bitten off a bit more than he could chew and was floating off towards Melbourne about 200 metres from the shore," he told Neil Mitchell.

First Constable Perkins said he hailed down a person in a tinny to assist with the rescue, while another officer in a different boat also joined the operation.

"Between the two boats we ushered Bowie back to shore," he said.

"I was up to my knees in the drink and managed to restrain him ... it was a good day at the office."

Bowie was out in the open water for about 20 minutes and very tired upon his rescue.

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First Constable Perkins said if police had not been alerted to the distressed pup he may not have survived.

"He was pretty knackered, it's fair to say," he said.

"If we hadn't have got to him, I daresay he would have drowned, for sure."