This mischievous hound is definitely in the dog house after sparking a major safety alert.

Ty the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was anything but man’s best friend when he chewed through a gas main and prompted a dramatic Fire and Rescue mission.

The tenacious terrier chomped his way through a copper gas pipe in Challenge Close, Gravesend while 18-year-old owner Sam Whybrow popped out.

Sam returned 20 minutes later and instantly noticed the strong smell of gas as he approached the mid-terraced home.

Firefighters from Thames-side and Strood were called to deal with the leak, which had the potential to take out two or three properties.

Ten minutes longer and Ty would also have perished, firefighters warned.

Owner Sam said: "I could smell it outside the house. When I opened the front door I could hear a really bad rushing sound.

"I think Ty’s ball got stuck underneath the pipe, and in trying to get the ball he punctured the pipe. As soon as I smelt gas I got Ty and my girlfriend out and called 999."

Firefighters were called at 10.56am on Saturday and managed to turn the gas off at the main.

Green watch manager, Lawrence Pater, said: "There was the potential for two or three houses to be taken out - gas is always dangerous. It was escaping for about 20 minutes."

Sam’s dad Gary Whybrow, who also lives at the property, said: "I could not believe it when I arrived back from work after it happened.

"The firemen said they had never seen a dog chew through a gas pipe before."