Rancher Sees His Dog Leading Strange Boy Through Arizona Desert, Soon Realizes It’s the Missing Child

Conservative News DailyApril 27, 2025

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A dog named Buford, an Anatolian Shepherd, gained fame after rescuing a missing 2-year-old boy named Boden Allen in Arizona. Boden had wandered away from his home while his parents were preoccupied,prompting a 16-hour search by over 40 rescue members. Buford was discovered the next day leading the child back after traversing a challenging seven-mile terrain. Since this heroic act, Buford has received numerous gifts from around the world, including toys and treats, and has been honored with a special vest that designates him as an honorary Search K-9. his owner, rancher Scotty Dunton, expressed disbelief at the dog’s journey and the extent of the rescue effort. The boy’s parents were profoundly grateful, stating that Buford was sent by God to save their son.

A dog that rescued a missing toddler in Arizona last week is living the good life.

Ever since Buford found young Boden Allen, gifts have poured in for the hound, NBC News reported Tuesday.

“Toys, chew toys, snacks, you name it — just a little bit of everything,” Scotty Dunton, the rancher to whom Buford belongs, said.

On April 14, 2-year-old Boden wandered from his parents’ home in Seligman, Arizona.

His father, Cory Allen, had been working on the roof, while Boden’s mother, Sarah, had been watching the boy.

Unable to find their son, the couple called family for help before eventually contacting the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

BUFORD the hero Anatolian Shepherd reunites w/ toddler he saved! 🐶❤️

The rancher’s dog found the little boy after he wandered away from his home, through dangerous parts of the Arizona desert.

Anatolians are amazing!! We love you Buford!! ❤️

Twitter / X / Rescue Network… pic.twitter.com/4eH9kx5jIO

— Life coaching & wellness services (@Good_vibes_up) April 22, 2025

More than 40 search and rescue members were involved in the 16-hour search that followed, according to a YCSO news release.

During the overnight operation, a helicopter spotted two mountain lions in the area.

“I didn’t even know how to process,” Sarah said. “I looked at his empty bed in the middle of the night, and I’m like, ‘This isn’t real, he’s not — how is he not here? How is he out by himself somewhere in the dark?’”

Rancher Dunton, who lives seven miles away from the Allen family, had heard the news about the missing boy, according to KPNX in Phoenix.

But he didn’t expect to see the toddler walking along the road with Buford the morning after the disappearance.

Hero Dog Buford Finds Lost Toddler After 7-Mile Trek in Arizona Wilderness pic.twitter.com/jye559QD4f

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 23, 2025

“That’s a lot of country he went through. Seven miles from here to there,” Dunton said. “There’s three big canyons and ridges all the way leading to where he came from, so that’s a long rough piece of country. It’s amazing he made it as far as he did.”

The dog had found the boy sleeping under a tree.

Buford is a 6-year-old Anatolian Pyrenees, a natural guardian, Dunton said.

“He goes out at night and just kind of patrols. He goes half a mile, a mile from the house and just makes big loops, keeps coyotes out,” Dunton said.

The Sheriff’s office awarded Buford a certificate, and he’s now an honorary Search K-9 with a special vest to prove it, according to a news release from the Yavapai County Search and Rescue K9 Team.

“God sent that dog to rescue my son,” Cory Allen said.

Dunton has heard from people all over the world since the rescue, many of them sending gifts to thank Buford.