Great Dane Refusing to 'Cross the Cat' at Doggy Door Is the Cutest 'Big Baby'

Though the saying “fighting like cats and dogs” seems to indicate that the two species do to get along, countless dogs and cats live in the same household and have a deep and beautiful bond. The key to harmony between the cats and dogs in your house lies in how well they respect each other—cats are animals who love their territory and their personal space, and have no problems letting others know when they have trespassed.

Thus, it often happens that despite their much larger size, the dogs in a house allow the far smaller cats to be the ones in charge. And that’s certainly the case in this household, where an orange cat’s mere presence at the dog door is enough to keep an enormous Great Dane from trying to cross his path.

“The bigger the dog, the bigger the baby,” reads the caption on this video of a Great Dane standing forlornly at the back door as the cat stands guard just inside. Elvis, a two-hundred pound Great Dane, may be enormous, but he sure does know who is boss. And that would be Henry, the orange cat lying in wait should he dare try to cross the threshold.

Related: 6 Precious Cat and Dog Besties Nobody Can Get Enough Of

“He’s definitely the king of the house,” explains the person who posted this video. “You can’t cross the cat.”

In the clip, Elvis is seen trying to nose his way through the doggie door. But the cat is standing right there. He stops and looks over the transom, begging with his eyes for help from whoever is holding the camera. When none is forthcoming, he attempts to go through but as soon as he bumps the cat, he backs off.

Smart doggie.

Teaching Big Dogs Their Own Power

When you have a big dog like a Great Dane, it’s important to teach them their own strength. Proprioception is a sense of knowing where your body is in space, and large dogs should be taught to be careful and gentle. Their enormous paws could knock over small children or other animals, and their whipping tails could easily sweep clean an entire coffee table.

The Great Dane in this video has clearly been taught that he needs to be careful around the kitty—but whether that’s because he doesn’t want to hurt the little guy or because he knows the cat can take him is unclear.

How to Safely Use a Doggie Door

While doggy doors can be incredibly convenient for pet owners who want their dogs to have free access to the yard, they can also pose a security risk.

(Well, not this one, which is clearly monitored by the world’s toughest orange cat.)

There are several ways to keep your home safe even with the use of a dog door. Most dog doors are too small for a human to go through, but before installing one, you should make sure that it’s large enough for your biggest dogs. (Especially if they are a Great Dane like the one here.) Some dog doors are electronic and will only open if your dog is wearing a matching tag on their collar.

Finally, think about the natural deterrent of a dog door. Any potential burglar knows the house with a dog door is likely to have a barking dog inside.

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