Cocker Spaniel kept pawing at his owner’s knee and wouldn’t stop until she got help — moments later, paramedics discovered the terrifying reason why

The pup blocked her path to the stairs, barking insistently as if urging her to step outside.

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

(L) Dog is giving paw to woman, (R) Paramedics helping woman in ambulance. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Milena Magazin, (R) kali9)

A woman returned home with a strange feeling and wanted to lie down when her dog interrupted her. The Cocker Spaniel was constantly pawing at his owner’s knee, preventing her from resting. Jeannette Godsell, a dog trainer, was too exhausted to fully understand her dog’s strange behavior and sat down on the couch to breathe. Soon, the pup named Watson tried to lead his owner out of the house. It was not until the ambulance arrived that Godsell realized the terrifying reason behind the dog’s unrest.

Dog looking at owner with concerned look while on walk. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Efrem Efre) — Dog looking at owner with concerned look while on walk. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Efrem Efre)

Godsell from Southampton, UK, was fostering Watson, who was trained to be a hearing dog for deaf owners. But she could not have guessed how the dog would ultimately save her life. “Watson was sitting [sic] at my feet, and he kept nudging my knee and going to the front door, trying to get me out, I think, and he did this about half a dozen times,” she told PA Real Life, as reported by Bristol Live. The 58-year-old paid no heed to Watson’s alerts and tried to go upstairs to rest on her bed, waiting for her partner, Chris Blake, to get home.

Woman pampering her dog outdoors - Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by 3photo — Woman pampering her dog outdoors. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by 3photo)

Watson blocked her way to the stairs and barked at her, seemingly urging her to go outside instead. He ran to the backyard, barking frantically, which caught the attention of their neighbor, Sue. Fortunately, she was not at work as her appointment had been canceled and came out to investigate what had happened. Sue noticed Godsell’s state of health and decided to call for help. She rang the ambulance that happened to be just around the corner, and arrived just in time for Godsell to be rushed to the hospital. “Bizarrely, Sue would have normally been at work, but her appointment got canceled. She came in, and Watson rushed up to her and was nudging her,” Godsell recalled.

Worried woman speaking on call. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Jose Miguel Sanchez) — Worried woman speaking on call. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jose Miguel Sanchez)

Paramedics later informed the owner that she was having a heart attack. She underwent an emergency operation to insert a stent into her heart to treat her condition. The surgery was successful, and Godsell was out of danger with no major damage. “I was told afterwards that there is a golden hour when you have a heart attack, so the longer the damage is there, the more problems that can be caused,” said the pet owner, who believes the stars aligned for her to survive that day. “I’m eternally grateful to Sue—Watson alerted her, but he didn’t phone the ambulance; she knew I needed help,” Godsell added.

Medical personnel wheeling a patient inside a hospital. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Paul Burns — Medical personnel wheeling a patient inside a hospital. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Paul Burns)

It scared her to think what could have gone wrong had Watson not alerted her and her neighbor. She would have gone upstairs to rest, slashing the chances of a swift rescue. “Watson will always be in my heart, and my heart is OK because of him.” Nevertheless, the owner still struggles to comprehend that Watson had sensed she was in danger and did everything to call for help. She would soon have to bid farewell to the pup as he would be matched with a deaf person to serve his purpose. But Godsell noted that she will forever be grateful for the dog's life-saving act.