Britain's animal-loving reputation means it can push others to treat dogs as pets rather than food, a Foreign Office minister has said.

Tory frontbencher Alok Sharma hailed the "special relationship" millions of Britons have with dogs as he responded to calls for the UK Government to do more to outlaw the dog meat trade in South Korea.

Mr Sharma also held up a photograph of his family's five-year-old golden retriever, Olly, to demonstrate how much he adores dogs - a move which echoed former prime minister David Cameron's attempt to prove how much he loved Larry the Downing Street cat.

The minister was replying to a parliamentary debate triggered by an online petition which received 102,131 signatures.

South Korea banned the sale of dog meat during the 1988 Seoul Olympics although this was not strictly enforced after the event.

The petition claimed the dog meat trade "remains the same, if not worse" than 30 years ago as South Korea prepares to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Mr Sharma, replying to the debate in Westminster Hall, explained that dogs are not an internationally protected species and the UK has no jurisdiction to take action in countries where eating the animal is legal.

He said: "But I do agree that whilst we have no legal jurisdiction, we can and do still work hard to make our views known to the South Korean government and to press for change."

Mr Sharma went on: "Our reputation as a nation of animal lovers means we can make a strong case for dogs as pets rather than as food."

Opening the debate, Mr Sharma said he wanted to declare an interest.

He told MPs: "My family and I adore dogs and (Mr Cameron) demonstrated his love for cats, specifically Larry the Number 10 cat, by producing photographic evidence.

"If right honourable and honourable members will indulge me, I'd also like to offer some photographic evidence.

"This is Olly, my five-year-old golden retriever, and I know it's often said that dogs and owners end up resembling each other..."

Mr Sharma held up a photograph which showed him lying next to Olly.

Tory MP David Nuttall, who chaired the debate, laughed and intervened to inform Mr Sharma he was "out of order".

Mr Sharma replied: "I do apologise. The point I was going to make is that... people in this country, Britons, have a special relationship with dogs.

"And like the millions of dog owners across our great nation, my wife and daughters and I regard our dog as a treasured member of our family.

"I'm absolutely certain that all honourable members who are present today for this debate who have dogs feel exactly the same way about their canine friends."

Conservative former minister Sir Greg Knight earlier told the debate: "One of the problems one has in trying to persuade people not to eat dog meat is that many have a long-held view that it contains mythical health qualities, and somehow that eating dog meat is better for you."

He added: "It's sometimes very difficult to persuade people that their long-held beliefs are no more than a load of old codswallop."

Former shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy, on the extent of which Briton should seek to impose cultural norms on other countries, said she accepts there are no legal grounds to intervene to stop dogs being eaten.

The Labour MP added: "I would hope today (I and other MPs) have made the case that there are moral, ethical grounds to intervene against the immense cruelty that's involved in such trade."

Ms McCarthy said she hopes the UK Government does all it can to raise the issue and support activists in South Korea who oppose the dog meat trade.