Family dog finds missing toddler before police

Man's best friend has proven an apt title after a family dog helped find a missing two-year-old boy.

The Minnesota boy went missing last Thursday evening after wandering away from the farmyard and his siblings.

The family called the Sheriff's Office about 6.17pm after a half-hour search turned up nothing.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office took the search to the air after they scoured the area with K-9 officers.

A State Patrol helicopter joined the search at 8.10pm and the pilot found two abnormal heat signatures – the boy and his dog.

The dog had found the missing boy and was staying with the child.

A team on the ground were directed to the pair, using the heat signatures from the helicopter.

The toddler was cold and hungry but otherwise fine.

After he was found, officials learned the family dog refused to leave the boy's side until help arrived.