A shot dog is at the centre of a homicide investigation in the Waikato

Cedric Maniapoto was found dead from a gunshot wound at a property north of Raglan on Tuesday morning

Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders says a brown and white dog called Napier turned up at the local store in Te Uku with a gunshot wound around seven the same morning.

He says the store is roughly seven-kilometres from the scene and they aren't sure how he got there.

Police want to hear from anyone that may have seen Napier on the road, or if they delivered him to the store.

Officers are particularly interested in any dashcam footage from Ohautira Road from late Monday evening to Tuesday morning.