Small dogs are often labelled as being overly bossy or having ‘Napoleon syndrome’ or ‘small dog syndrome’ because of their tendency to readily employ distance-increasing behaviours. These can include barking, lunging, rushing, growling and snapping, as well as escape and avoidance (e.g. running away). Small dogs live in a world of giants.They are comparatively fragile, and even a friendly giant can hurt them if the play is too rough. Conversely, a small dog’s capacity to stand up for herself is limited by how far she can escalate matters… Even when small dogs are trying to move away, some large dogs (and many humans) approach them and greet them. It is little wonder that many small dogs learn to switch to a more forceful strategy. When all the whispers, polite requests and active attempts to avoid fail, but yelling sometimes works, then yelling will become the preferred option. Small dogs cannot be judged poorly for making that choice: life is not so easy for them.Next time you encounter a small dog, take the time to think what might have influenced their behaviour. Help them out by giving them the opportunity to be the master of their own destiny and have a choice in how the interaction proceeds.