The Associated Press/CASEY RIFFE Billings Gazette

It was a long, cold night for Duke, a 16-month-old St. Bernard who froze to the ice on a pond at the Peter Yegen Jr. Golf Club.

Duke's owner, Gene Larson, believes the dog escaped from his back gate on Winchell Lane, just south of the golf course, at about 8 p.m. Thursday.

After the family combed the area that night looking for the dog, they went to bed, hoping he would be back in the morning.

Rescuers believe that Duke fell though the ice on the pond on the northwest side of the golf course sometime during the night but was able to pull himself out. Once the wet dog sat on the ice, his furry, water-logged tail froze to the ice, leaving him unable to move. Alerted by a maintenance worker for the course at about 9 a.m. Friday, Yellowstone County sheriff's deputies and the Billings Fire Department went to the east side of the course, near the ninth tee box.

Two firefighters in dry suits pushed an ice rescue sled over about 10 feet of hip-deep water and 10 feet of ice to reach Duke, who was shivering and occasionally whining.

After trying to free the tail with water and a crowbar-like Haligan tool, firefighter Brandon Fleury broke the ice around Duke's tail with a mallet while firefighter Ben Jares held onto the dog by his collar.

They got the shivering animal onto the sled and were hauled back to shore by seven other firefighters who had arrived.

It took four firefighters - one just to hold up the tail with the large chunk of ice attached - to lift the 118-pound dog into a waiting golf cart.

Duke, who was wearing a collar and identification tags, was driven in a sheriff's patrol car to Big Sky Pet Center for treatment after the hourlong rescue.

Staff members at the veterinary office said the dog was in good condition Friday afternoon after being de-iced and warmed up under a blow dryer.

Larson, who had spent the day looking for his dog, went to check on him as soon as he was notified that Duke had been found.

"He's my little buddy," Larson said, before correcting himself. "He's my big buddy."