A loyal Pit bull protected a 3-year-old boy who wandered away from his home and became lost in the woods. Authorities were called to the boy's South Dakota home when his parents reported him missing on Monday. The boy was gone for about an hour when police found him a quarter mile away in the woods.  

Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler told the Rapid City Journal that the protective dog would not let rescuers near the boy.

The dog did not become overly aggressive but signaled to keep back. "He was showing me that this was not my area," Wheeler said of the large brown Pit bull. "I know that look." They called the boy's father who came and was able to take the dog home so safety personnel could approach the boy.

Police tracked the boy and faithful sidekick by following footprints in the snow. "We took off on a dead run until we found him," said Wheeler. Wheeler and the boy's parents along with a dozen personnel were searching for the boy.

The boy appeared uninjured but was taken to hospital as a precaution. Wheeler said the boy's parents, who asked not to be named, were overjoyed to find their boy safe and sound. For his part, the toddler was mostly curious and excited about all the people and emergency vehicles. 

Photo credit: Stock photo.

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• toddler
• woods
• South South Dakota
• missing boy
• Pit Bull