A CLYDEBANK family has praised their “heroic” dog for fending off a home intruder on New Year’s Day. 

Mum-of-two Cat Graham could not find her keys to lock the door at her Miller Street flat before taking to bed unwell, while her fiancé Neil took their children out for a meal to mark the start of 2018.

With the security door locked, the 30-year-old was startled when a stranger walked into their property. 

But dog Louie bravely raced to the door and forced the encroacher back out.

Cat said she didn’t know what she would have done had her watchful Pointer not been there to intervene. 

She told the Post: “It was New Year’s Day and my fiancé had taken the kids out for dinner and I wasn’t feeling too great. He left with the kids and The house was in total darkness. I don’t know if the intruder thought nobody was in and just chanced his luck. 

“I heard some movement out in the hall. Louie was cuddled up with me and he flew out of the bed. 

“I just heard a guy say ‘calm down’. Louie was barking at him and must’ve been jumping on him. 

“God knows what would’ve happened if Louie wasn’t there. He’s a wee star.”

Although shaken up, Cat hadn’t realised the full extent of the danger posed by the incident until seeing a neighbour share on social media that something similar had happened to her.

She said: “I didn’t see the guy or anything. It wasn’t until I saw a girl post that the same happened to her and her boyfriend was out at him.”

The family adopted their protective canine just under a year ago from a kennel in Spain, where he was originally known as Theodore. 

Children Paul, aged 11, and Amelia, aged three, love Louie to bits and were excited to hear he would be recognised for his courage. 

“He’s still a puppy but he’s massive,” Cat added. “My kids totally dote on him. I told them he was going to be in the Post and they were saying, ‘we’re going to have a famous dog’.

“He’s very protective. He’s a good wee thing. When we adopted him, I didn’t even think of the security side of it, but it puts your mind at ease knowing he’s at home.”

Pointers are renowned for being intelligent, affectionate and intensely loyal and are known to bark at suspicious noises. 

Cat said Louie was rewarded for his behaviour and said: “He got a new chew toy and some treats. You just don’t know what would’ve happened. That’s the scary thing.”

Police have asked anyone with a similar complaint to get in touch on 101.