Kingman, Arizona — In a heartwarming turn of events, a 2-year-old boy, Boden Allen, who went missing near Kingman, Arizona, was found safe thanks to the rapid actions of a ranch dog named Buford. The Yavapai county Sheriff’s office reported that the toddler had wandered away from his home, sparking a frantic search. The situation grew dire as search parties encountered mountain lions, raising fears for the child’s safety.

the Guardian Angel: Buford the Dog

Scotty Dunton and his wife, Dawn, who run Dunton Ranch, located several miles from the Allen’s home, own Buford, a 165-pound Anatolian Pyrenees.Dunton describes Buford as the guardian dog who just patrols and stuff around there at night and keeps coyotes and things away and protects all the chickens and baby calves and everything around. He added,Their breed,that’s what thay do. they’re just guardian dogs.

A Chance Encounter

On Tuesday morning, dunton was preparing to leave for town when he noticed something unusual. I had to run to town, so I jumped in my truck to leave. And I was going down the driveway, and I see Buford walking down the fence line with this little blond-haired kid in tow, Dunton recounted.

From Rescue to Reunion

Having been informed by his wife about the missing child, Dunton immediately recognized the toddler. He brought the boy inside, offered him string cheese and a banana, and promptly contacted the sheriff’s office.

Dunton engaged with the toddler,trying to understand what had happened. I asked him – I said, did you walk all night? And he said, no. I said, what – you know, what did you do? And he kept saying, tree. I said, did you go lay under a tree? And he said, yep. And I said, did my dog find you? And he said, yep, Dunton explained.

It appeared that Buford,or “Big Buford,” as some have affectionately nicknamed him,had discovered the lost boy wandering near the ranch and guided him to safety.

A Father’s relief

Dunton followed the toddler’s tracks for over a mile and observed that Buford’s paw prints were consistently alongside the child’s. The reunion with the boy’s father was emotional. His dad just frantically ran over, you know, and grabbed him.And he was so glad to see him and rightly so. I can’t even imagine the ordeal they went through, so… Dunton stated.

Hero’s Reward

Buford’s calm and laid-back demeanor, even as a puppy, made him an unlikely hero. He’s a big dog, but he’s got the most laid-back personality, even when he was a puppy. He’s just real calm, laid-back, doesn’t really get excited over much, Dunton said.

To celebrate buford’s heroic actions, he was treated to a special meal. Oh, yeah. Everybody was like, you need to cook him a steak for dinner, so my wife did. She – he had a pound-and-a-half ribeye for dinner. So yeah, he got a treat, Dunton shared.

A Close Call

The situation could have had a tragic outcome. There was a thousand ways that could have gone really, really bad, and it turned out for the best, Dunton reflected. The prosperous rescue brought immense relief to everyone involved.