SAN DIEGO — A persistent Point Loma pup who helped save a neighbor's home and quite possibly the neighbors themselves by alerting his owner to a fire was honored by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department on Tuesday.

Cabrillo, an almost 2-year-old Portuguese water dog, was named an “Honorary Fire Dog” and given a red, white and blue medal, a proclamation and a bag of dog biscuits by firefighters as his proud owner, Sandra Angel, looked on.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Carle cited the 58-pound chocolate-and-cream-colored pooch for his “diligence, alertness and dogged determination,” for incessantly barking and waking his owner April 2 as the house three doors down was burning.

Angel said the dog nudged her and ran from window to window and wouldn't calm down until she got up to see what was wrong.

Angel saw the fire and called 911, while her boyfriend, Charles Williams, ran down the street and yelled for the residents to get out.

The quick call let firefighters respond within minutes to the blaze, which had fully engulfed the roof of the home. They were able to put the fire out quickly and keep it from spreading.

Carle said Cabrillo deserves all the credit. “He made a difference,” he said.

Angel said she has had Cabrillo since he was 8 1/2 weeks old and paid $2,000 for him. “He's worth every penny,” she said.

She described her pet as a happy, friendly dog who likes to do tricks and loves to please people.

When asked if she had any advice for President Barack Obama and his family, who recently acquired a Portuguese water dog of their own, Angel said they should make sure to give him lots of chew toys and a bone every night.

“We don't want him chewing up heirlooms in the White House,” she said with a laugh.

For his part, Cabrillo seemed oblivious to all the attention and happily sat in the front seat of an engine from Fire Station 22.