Quick-thinking Rachel Green, 39, knew something was wrong after seeing the dogs loose without an owner as she drove to the gym.
Fitness instructor Rachel pulled over her car and spotted Alan Hale, 75, collapsed on the pavement having suffered cardiac arrest.
She dialled 999 and began chest compressions – and ordered a passerby to fetch a defibrillator.
She is now being honoured by the Royal Humane Society with a Resuscitation Certificate.
Mum-of-two Rachel of Llandough, near Cardiff, said: “All I saw initially was two dogs and a backpack at the side of the road, which I thought was strange.
“I stopped the car to take a closer look and that’s when I saw a man who had collapsed face-down.
“I rolled him over and could tell by his laboured breathing that it was serious, so I called 999, who talked me through chest compressions.”
Other passersby then helped until paramedics arrived to help Alan to hospital.
Rachel said: “It was very much a team effort, and we were also supported by an off-duty nurse and another passerby, who helped with the CPR.
“Together, we delivered one shock to Alan, which seemed to restore his heartbeat.
“When I heard he had survived, it was a proud moment, albeit a very surreal experience.”
Alan was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where he was fitted with four stents and spent 10 days in recovery.
He has since been reunited with Rachel and the ambulance teams and thanked them for saving his life.
Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “She was undoubtedly the right person in the right place at the right time.
“Thank goodness she was driving by when she was, spotted the man and went into action to save him in the way she did.
“She did a brilliant job and richly deserves the award she is to receive.
“She undoubtedly played a major part in bringing him back to life.”
The father-of-two said: “I have no recollection of that morning at all, except setting off to take the dogs for a walk.
“I got as far as the exit to the complex then apparently went down like a ton of bricks – I had no symptoms whatsoever.
“Rachel, and everyone who played a part that day, has my utmost thanks.
“I owe them my life.”
Emma Wood, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said Rachel’s “Quick-thinking response and willingness to act undoubtedly saved Alan’s life.”
