AN internet prankster who allegedly released a viral video in which he teaches his girlfriend's dog to Sieg Heil and react to the phrase "gas the Jews" has been arrested

Markus Meechan was said to have trained his girlfriend's pug to raise its paw in imitation of the Fascist greeting upon hearing the words Sieg Heil, and to jump at the phrase "gas the Jews".

Police arrested the 28-year-old after footage of the anti-Semitic stunt was viewed more than a million times on YouTube.

READ MORE: Scot who trained girlfriend's dog to be a Nazi says sorry for shocking video

The video, which remains on YouTube, has its maker saying he wanted to annoy his girlfriend.

He says on the video: "I'm not a racist, by the way, I really just wanted to p... her off."

Coatbridge resident Meechan, who lost his job following the video's release, was released pending further investigation after spending a night in jail.

Police say the arrest should serve as a warning such material will not be tolerated.

Detective Inspector David Cockburn said: "This clip was shared online and has been viewed almost one million times.

"I would ask anyone who has had the misfortune to have viewed it to think about the pain and hurt the narrative has caused a minority of people in our community.

"The clip is deeply offensive and no reasonable person can possibly find the content acceptable in today's society."

Though former security guard Meechan, who boasted he had been recognised from the footage, says he is not a racist, Jewish leaders slammed the video as "sickening".

Scottish Council of Jewish Communities director Ephraim Borowski said: "To regard the meticulously planned and industrialised murder of six million people solely on the grounds of their ethnicity as a joke is outrageous, and for someone who does so to claim not to be racist, beggars belief.”

READ MORE: Jewish leaders condemn Scots internet prankster who 'turned girlfriend's dog into Nazi'