Four-year-old cavalier King Charles spaniel Louie is a life saver.

The hero pooch began barking after his owner Maureen’s great grand-daughter Chloe Showell fell ill.

Little Chloe, who turned one at the weekend, began choking after throwing up.

Mum Shannon Weeks, of Central Road, Dartford, had just gone to sleep in another room when she heard Louie and at first assumed there must have been someone walking past the flat.

When he didn’t stop, the mum-of-two went to see what the problem was and found Louie outside Chloe’s room.

The 23-year-old said: “He just kept barking and barking. He hardly ever does that so I didn’t know what to think. I went out and saw him outside my daughter’s room.

“I went in and Chloe was face down and was pale and wasn’t breathing. All I remember doing is screaming. I picked her up and patted her back and she came round and threw up again. She’s not a very sicky baby so it came as a huge shock. It was the worst night of my life.”

Chloe’s dad Tom, 24, rushed home from work in Northfleet and took her and Miss Weeks to Darent Valley Hospital. They eventually went home at 7.30am on Friday but had to return that evening after Chloe began being sick again.

It turned out she had bronchitis but has now recovered.

“Louie’s my hero, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have my beautiful daughter" - Shannon Weeks

Miss Weeks added: “The doctors said if it hadn’t been for Louie and I hadn’t got there when I did Chloe may not have survived, he really did save her life.

“I was always nervous about dogs around babies before, especially after a dog attack in Chatham. I don’t think it’s anything to do with the breed I think it’s about the owner.

“Louie is so loyal though, he’d never hurt a fly.

“After what happened I did go out and get him some treats, I gave him some pig’s ears but he turned his nose up at them.

“Louie’s my hero, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have my beautiful daughter. She was terrified of him, now they’re inseparable.”