This adorably massive dog had to be rescued after he got tired on a hike

Anyone trying to get in shape knows that sometimes you just have to admit defeat. Maybe you’ve accidentally found yourself in an advanced spin class as a true novice, or you’ve stumbled your way into a marathon without adequate training. There’s no shame in throwing your hands — or paws — up and saying, “Better luck next time!”

Such was the case of Kato, a great, big, fluffy 5-year-old Great Pyrenees, who needed some help after realizing he’d bitten off more than he could chew. Kato embarked on an adventure up a mountain path in Evergreen, Colorado, with his humans, only to have to be saved by local fire rescue.

After making it nearly to the trailhead of the Maxwell Falls trail, Kato, “exhausted and likely dehydrated,” couldn’t finish the hike on his own and refused to continue. His owners called Evergreen Fire Rescue, who carried the 120-pound dog the rest of the way down the mountain path.

But poor Kato wasn’t alone in his humiliation. After Evergreen Fire Rescue shared Kato’s plight on their Facebook and Twitter pages, people were quick to respond. Many thanked the humans for coming to his rescue, while others imagined it was all a quick scheme designed by a stubborn pup.

“They’re buying it. Just a little bit further. Keep a straight face, Kato,” Twitter user B.J. Martino wrote:

Other commenters shared images of their own dogs being carried home from exhausting adventures. Dog parent Danny Veech said on Twitter that the same thing happened to his dog five years ago:

Kato (and other dogs who may find themselves in a similar predicament) don’t need to worry too much. Evergreen Fire Rescue, and hopefully other departments, will likely be there to lend a helping hand.

“We choose to help animals,” spokesperson Stacee Martin told 9News. “Doesn’t matter if it’s a horse stuck in the mud, owls that fall out of the nest … this is something that the community supports.”