A Canberra man who allegedly killed his ex-partner's dog with a shovel — an act police say was captured by security cameras in the woman's backyard — has been refused bail.

Key points: The man allegedly told police he disliked the dog, and that he'd had a bad day at work

The man allegedly told police he disliked the dog, and that he'd had a bad day at work The accused attacker was refused bail on an animal cruelty charge

The accused attacker was refused bail on an animal cruelty charge Harming an ex-partner's animal is defined as family violence

ACT police said the 27-year-old shared a north Canberra home with the woman, who owned two pets, including a small white dog named Mishka.

Police documents, tendered in the ACT Magistrates Court, alleged that when the man arrived home about 4:00pm on Wednesday he found a note left by his ex-partner requesting that he feed her dogs.

Police said security footage of the home's backyard showed the man picking up the small dog and punching it repeatedly, before throwing a ball at it, kicking it, and hurling it across the yard.

He then attacked it with a shovel, they said.

Seventeen minutes after the start of the attack, police said, the man picked up the animal and placed it on its bed before leaving to pick up his ex-partner and bring her home.

When the man's ex-partner discovered Mishka injured, she took the dog to a vet, where it was euthanased due the severity of the injuries.

According to police documents the woman asked her brother to help her with viewing security footage the following day.

They reported it to police and provided the footage.

The man was taken into custody on Friday evening.

When interviewed by police, he allegedly told them he disliked the dog as it frequently chewed on his clothes, and urinated and defecated in the house.

He allegedly told police he "had a bad day at work" and was frustrated by the state of his relationship with the woman on the day of the alleged attack.

He was charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty causing death.

In court on Saturday morning the man was refused bail by magistrate Louise Taylor, to reappear in court on September 10.

Under ACT law, attacking an animal belonging to a family member or ex-partner can be defined as family violence.