Blow to her ego

Big Dog and Little Dog are both dog obsessed.  They come by it honestly as I am that person who always talks to passing dog and before I had dogs of my own would always ask to pet your pooch.  Big Dog is similarly inclined.
The other day we passed a man on a bench with his little dog cuddled up on his lap.  Big Dog approached and asked, as he always does, "May I pet your dog?"
He could and he did.  Little Dog came to get in on the dog petting action, and started asking questions about the dog.  "Is it a boy or a girl?" It was a boy.  "How old is your dog?" He was 3 years old.
I mentioned that this is about the same age as Dashiell because it is amusing to the boys that this little dog and my giant dog are the age, just vastly different in size.
After hearing this, the man with the dog asked Little Dog what kind of dog we have.
"We have a Great Dane.  We also have a not Great Dane."
Good think Nikita was not in earshot.  She might take the "not great" too much to heart.  And for the record, I think she's pretty great.