Missing chocolate labrador Roger has returned to his owner, a week after going missing in the Canterbury town of West Melton.

Russell Waters had gone to great lengths to find his missing pal, handing out flyers, talking to neighbours and even hiring a helicopter to look for him.

On Wednesday evening, a very relieved Mr Waters told Newshub he had found Roger around 300 to 400 metres outside his gate on Old West Coast Rd.

When he spoke to Newshub, Roger was on his way to see the vet. According to Mr Waters, Roger seems to be having a hard time standing, has lost a lot of weight and has some scratches on his legs.

He was found on the other side of an irrigation ditch, near a hedge. Mr Waters thinks he may have even been stuck in the hedge the whole time he was missing.

A searcher commented on Facebook to say he was found by people searching near the water.

"I was searching the water race as I figured a lab may have gone for a swim. I heard a weird whimpering bark and luckily another man was there also searching his boundary and he heard it too," she said.

"[He] scaled the cattle fence while I watched his bike and rang the owner to come. Roger was there on the other side of the water race!"