If you’ve ever been to a dog park, you know the way the hierarchy works. Big dogs gravitate toward similar sizes to tussle with, and the same all the way down. Yes, there are exceptions–familiar dogs, overlapping friend groups–but generally, it’s all very orderly and predictable.
One little Shih-Tzu never got the memo. They saunter on up to the biggest dog in sight–a Great Pyreneesno less–and decide, without hesitation, this is the perfect dog to square up against. A Shih-Tzu, right around 12 or so lbs., versus the Great Pyrenees, at roughly 100 lbs.
So, the Shih-Tzu starts doing their thing. Puffed-up chest, back legs furiously kicking up dirt in an outrageously bold display of what they see as their dominance.
The Pyrenees? He’s all: “Hiya, shorty. Aren’t you cute?” and wagging his tail, completely oblivious to the very serious confrontation happening at around ankle level.
Isn’t this the way it always goes with the little guys? I have an 8-pound mix who is *the boss* of my 100 lb. German Shepherd, and it’s been that way from day one.
Viewers are endlessly amused by the size difference. One commented, “‘Look at me! No you’re looking too high! Look lower! You want a piece of me?!'” “‘You see me kicking this dirt!? Yeah, you don’t want none of this!!!'”
Others were impressed by the mellow reaction of the Great Pyrenees, who didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. “Good thing your dog is so tolerant. This is so funny,” replied one viewer. Another added, “The Pyrenees is beautiful! I love the attitude!”
Why Those Tiny Dogs Always Act Like Size Is a Suggestion
A dog will read the things super obvious to them in these situations, like movement, posture, facial expressions and energy levels. When a dog is relaxed like the Great Pyrenees, the glaring signs are the loose body and wagging tail. The Shih-Tzu isn’t thinking about size, they just see that as an invitation to interact, and they made up their mind to RSVP in the affirmative long before size even came into play.
In the end, no one gets hurt, and nothing really gets resolved. The little one marches off totally convinced they won that battle. The big one keeps wagging their tail, unaware that a battle was even raging. And at the dog park? I’d call that a successful resolution.
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Dec 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.