Family discover their dog is a hero after finding note attached to his collar

A sheepdog is being dubbed a hero after he rescued another pup that was trapped in a pile of branches.

Louie lives with Marolyn Diver’s parents in New Zealand and is well-known for his random adventures, often wandering off through farmland that surrounds the property.

However, recently the pup failed to return home, causing concern for his owners, The Dodo reports.

But what they didn’t know was Louie was actually saving a life.

After an entire afternoon with no sign of Louie, he finally appeared back at home and had a note attached to his collar.

"He looked so exhausted, and had basically just collapsed," Ms Diver said.

The note read “Louie is the hero of the day”.

"He led me to Maddy in distress stuck under a branch pile. Cheers, Rob."

The family decided to call Rob – a farmer who lives 1.6km away – to find out more information.

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Rob told them he hadn’t been able to find his dog Maddy until Louie arrived. Louie seemed like he wanted to be followed, so Rob went with him which is when he found Maddy stuck under a pile of branches.

"Rob said he was 100 per cent sure that Louie knew what he was doing, and getting Rob to Maddy was his one pure focus," Ms Diver said.

"Once he found her, Louie helped Rob dig her out, pulling at branches, digging out the ground.

"Rob said the second she was free both dogs ran to a nearby pond and jumped into it exhausted and drinking water.”

At 12 years old, the energy Louie used to help rescue Maddy appeared to take its toll.

"That night we were very worried about Louie. He could hardly walk and looked terrible," Ms Diver said.

"We were scared that he might not make it through the night."

But the next morning Louie had a visit from Rob and Maddy that “perked up” his spirits.

The family rescued Louie from an animal shelter more than 10 years ago and say their love for him continues to grow.

"It hasn't changed the way I look at him. And I think my parents feel the same way," Ms Diver said. "I'm so proud of him."