You have heard the one about a cat stuck up a tree, but what about the dog wedged in a pole?

That was the dilemma faced by Billy Blacka, whose three-year-old bulldog Chief got stuck inside a disused power pole during a walk near Tuggeranong Hill in south Canberra on Tuesday morning.

“We were just taking a walk and he must’ve smelt a wombat or something and he just ran into the tunnel. I crawled halfway in there to get him but he just wouldn’t listen,” he said.

Becoming increasingly concerned, Mr Blacka called ACT Fire and Rescue, which deployed the territory’s best resources to the pooch’s problem.

“We had some concrete cutting equipment coming,” Commander Paul Ingram said.

“We were going to cut the pole close to the rear of the pet so we could pull it out.”

But after an anxious two hours, the bulldog took rescuers and his owner by surprise when his dirty nose appeared at the end of the pole.

“After two hours of me calling at him, screaming at him, stressing he just walked out like a big boy like nothing ever happened,” Mr Blacka said.

“I’m not sure if he had a tin of grease up there but he got himself out, which is great,” Commander Ingham joked.

Chief has already survived cancer in his head and leg.

His owner reported he was in good spirits and looking forward to a rest at home.

-ABC