He Walked 7 Miles Alone. A Ranch Dog Brought Him Home.

When 2-year-old Boden Allen slipped away from his family's home near Seligman, Arizona, his parents had no idea he was gone. His mother had stepped away to change another child's diaper. His father was working. By the time the family realised Boden was missing, the sun was already going down over Yavapai County.

A 16-Hour Search Begins

It was April 14, 2025. Search and rescue teams launched a 16-hour operation across some of the roughest terrain in Arizona - three mountain ranges, deep gorges, and canyon country roughly 100 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Temperatures dropped into the high 40s overnight. A state police helicopter scanned the area and spotted two mountain lions in the terrain Boden had crossed. The toddler was wearing a tank top and pajama pants.

Buford Found Him First

Buford is a 6-year-old Pyrenees-Anatolian Shepherd mix - a livestock guardian dog bred to patrol ranch land and protect animals from predators. He belongs to rancher Scotty Dunton, whose property sits roughly 7 miles from the Allen home. Buford found Boden sleeping under a tree in his horse pasture and led him back to the ranch.

Found at the Fence

The next morning, Scotty Dunton drove out across his ranch and spotted something near the fence line. "I see my dog walking down the fence with a little blonde, cute little 2-year-old kid," he later said. Boden was alive, with only minor cuts and scrapes and mild dehydration. When Dunton asked the boy what happened, Boden said he had slept under a tree - and that yes, the dog had found him. "I followed the dog back to the house."

A Hero's Welcome

Buford was named an honorary member of the Yavapai County Search and Rescue team after the rescue. Gifts began arriving at Dunton's ranch from strangers across the country. For his efforts, Buford received a rib-eye steak dinner. Scotty Dunton was not surprised. "It's what he does," he said. "He loves kids, so I can imagine he wouldn't leave him when he found him."