Daniel Salcedo, Province of Buenos Aires chief of police, said it appeared the dog found the abandoned baby in a field and carried it to where it was watching over its own offspring, CNN reported Saturday.

Salcedo said the dog's actions likely saved the child, who had been abandoned by its 14-year-old mother during 37-degree weather.

"She took it like a puppy and rescued it," Salcedo said. "The doctors told us if she hadn't done this, he would have died."

The child and its canine protector were found by a nearby resident Wednesday after he heard a crying baby in a field.

The neighbor investigated the noise and found the child sitting with the dog and its six newborn puppies, CNN said.