The biggest Dog had always been
The biggest Dog He’d known
He always barked the loudest
And He gnawed the biggest bone
He’d been the highest jumper, too;
He’d been the deepest digger.
He’d always been the biggest Dog…
And then He met one bigger.
The Digital Cuttlefish
Since the music plays so briefly... Can you blame me if I dance?
I think dogs must have some understanding of size, that bigger is better (or badder, if you will). They will raise their hackles, puff themselves up, when confronted with an adversary. It may be instinctual and not something they are aware of, but they have that much of an idea that bigness is worth something. On the other hand, are they aware of their own size relative to their opponent? Does a big dog know when he's met one bigger?
Hmm… I hadn't actually thought about actual dogs with this; it's really more exploring the concept of omnipotence in gods. It would be quite impossible for a mortal to tell the difference between an omnipotent god and one that was second or third in line.
They sometimes seem to, Die Anyway. They don't only puff up, but also respond to puffing up.On the other hand, small dogs can be bold, if due to Napoleon complex, ignorance, or confidence in pack dynamics.