Canine in the doghouse after setting Saskatoon home ablaze

They certainly didn't teach him how to turn on a stove in obedience school.

But as CBC News reports, man's best friend has been fingered as a suspect in a Saskatoon house fire.

According to reports, firefighters were called to a house on the city's west side after an alarm company tipped them off to a potential emergency.

Inside, fire crews found the house choked by smoke, while flames leapt off the cupboards and danced around the kitchen.

Though none of the human residents happened to be in, firefighters rescued two very frightened dogs.

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Thankfully, they managed to extinguish the fire quickly and the dogs escaped unscathed — well, except for the larger canine of the pair, who may literally find himself in the doghouse.

Fire officials concluded that it's a "reasonable assumption" the hound accidentally flipped on the stove switch while trying to reach some food left on the nearby counter.

Though it hasn't been proven that the dog is responsible (he has yet to bark under pressure), the stove's electric control knobs have led investigators to believe this the likeliest scenario.

Damage is estimated at $15,000.

Fire-starting pets are becoming a growing phenomenon. Last January, a pair of playful kittens in the UK didn't escape their kitchen escapade.

The Daily Mail writes that a young family from Lowton had left their tabbies at home while visiting family.

They returned to massive fire damage. The kittens, who sadly perished in the blaze, are believed to have started it by jumping on the stove and kicking on the switch.

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Meanwhile, the frequency with which these incidents have started to infiltrate the news has had some unfortunate consequences.

John Saparo made for a poor copycat after Pennsylvania courts found the man guilty in June of setting fire to his home.

Originally, Saparo blamed the fire on his poor dog — a claim that was soon debunked by prosecutors.

The 58-year old went off to jail after failing to post bond. His dog, we can only hope, was sent to a safer environment.