VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) -- A retired dentist and his family's two dogs will receive an award Wednesday for saving a boy who was buried in the sand at Virginia Beach four months ago.

76-year-old Robert Keel of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania was walking on an empty stretch of beach on April Tenth with his dog, Jude, and his daughter's dog, Riley.

The Brittany Spaniels ran off and would not come back. He followed them and found two legs sticking out of the sand.

Keel and a woman began scooping sand and uncovered 13-year-old Dillon Carney. The youngster -- who was on school break from Wayne, Pennsylvania -- had tried to build a sand tunnel and it collapsed on him. He was unconscious.

Keel cleaned sand from Dillon's mouth and breathed air into his lungs and the boy started breathing again.

Keel and the dogs will be presented the city's Lifesaving Award at noon. It's the first time animals have been recognized by the Virginia Beach Safety Council.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)