Dogs and little boss type dogs

[Hawkins003]

a question to all dog owners, and non dog owners I'f you have knowledge about this.

why do some little dogs think they are boss dog, when trying to fight larger dogs?

Do the little ones somehow believe they have a winning chance?

The reason I ask, is I regularly see dog walkers and the number of times you see little ones wanting to fight bigger dogs, it's like omg, ???

Same. My dog is terrified of big dogs so she puts on a show to try and get them to stay away from her. It really hard to train fear out of a dog.

I've got a JRT and she can be like this, she's fine with dogs she knows and has been introduced to, but I think she does find it overwhelming to be bounced at by dogs twice her size she doesn't know and reacts with defensive aggression.

I do think it's in their nature to a certain degree, especially terriers because rats can be fearsome and that's what they're bred to kill, so they can't be backing down, but, it's also because instead of trying to divert/change this behaviour, many people think it's funny and don't bother because they're small.

My JRT does grumble a fair bit, she's quite vocal and it's not aggressive when she does, she loves to roll on concrete when she's shedding and groans and play growls a lot - but she's enjoying herself. She wouldn't dare grumble at me or people because she's been taught to respect me and I wouldn't find it funny or cute if she started to, despite her size.

I always had big dogs and have a spaniel as well and all my dogs have been treated and trained the same way, but the JRT has been far harder to maintain training with regards to other dogs. The spaniel actually got lifted off her back feet a couple of weeks ago by another dog that was ignoring it's owner and shoved it's head up her arse - she just calmly climbed down and moved to sit behind me 🤣 the JRT would have started a fight if she'd had that happen to her - but, she's been hurt by boisterous and out of control dogs like that one before, and was attacked by an off lead dog as a youngster and I nearly lost her - so although I do try and correct the behaviour, I also understand it.
She's corrected but it's an ongoing battle when more and more people just don't bother controlling their dogs and because she's on her lead around other dogs, the issues only arise when another dog won't leave her alone.

It’s suspected that dogs think they’re the size of dogs around them because they lack self-awareness. So small dogs see big dogs and think they are a big dog. It’s why if you have a Jack Russell and a Great Dane, the Jack Russell is likely to be more dominant.

Even looking in a mirror? (A BIG mirror obviously!) So they could see themselves next to the other dog?

Exactly bless em, then they may be like omg 😲 I am a small doggy

its a small man syndrome
my dog thinks she is the biggest around,
particularly if she sees a german shepherd

i guess there could be an element of fear, they are so much smaller they have to be tough!

@Maverickess this is very like my Parsons she used to live with the largest bounciest teen black lab I've ever met. She just wants to me left alone to mooch around with the odd game of chase.

This. There's so much about canine behaviour out there these days it's a shame that so many don't bother trying to understand it. It's all to do with the body language and energy. Fascinating once you can read it

Apparently smaller dogs, have smaller brains and aren't very intelligent and so that's why they tend to be more aggressive and yappy etc. I'm talking like little chihuahua rat dogs

it is part of the breed