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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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A 2-pound Chihuahua has stolen hearts across the internet after a video capturing his unlikely friendship with two massive Saint Bernards went viral.
The video begins with Zack Zornes, 38, from Texas, cradling Poncho in his arms as the towering Saint Bernards Bruce and Baby, both 3, curiously investigate their tiny new friend. But, despite their intimidating size, Poncho isn’t fazed—he confidently faces their sniffs and even gives a playful bite back.
The clip, shared on Instagram by Zornes, has racked up over 3.5 million views. It follows 10-month-old Poncho over three months as he bonds with his giant furry companions, proving that friendship truly knows no size.
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Zornes told Newsweek: "They are best friends. Poncho runs the pack now. We couldn’t be happier with our decision of getting Poncho."
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During the video, Poncho is placed on the ground, where the unlikely trio’s friendship truly begins to blossom. The Saint Bernards gently lie down beside him, licking and nuzzling him affectionately. At one point, Poncho is filmed getting a bath in the sink, likely to wash off the drool from his oversized pals.
Zornes told Newsweek that he "knew" they wouldn't be best friends overnight but the first 90 days went exactly how they expected.
"It was a slow and attentive process," he said, adding that he added a small dog to his furry friend as requested by his wife.
"We knew it would be fine because our Saint Bernards are so gentle," he said.
Big Dogs, Little Dog
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Chihuahuas typically stand 5 to 8 inches tall and weigh no more than 6 pounds. In stark contrast, Saint Bernards can reach 28 to 30 inches for males and 26 to 28 inches for females, with males weighing 140 to 180 pounds and females 120 to 140 pounds.
It is a size difference that makes their bond even more endearing.
TikTok Reacts
The final scenes show the three dogs completely inseparable—playing, lounging, and moving together like a pack.
Fans flooded the comments with jokes and love. One user quipped: "Little guy needs a raincoat around these two."
And they might be right. According to the AKC, drooling—or ptyalism—is common in breeds like Saint Bernards, bloodhounds, and mastiffs. Their loose skin and large, pendulous lips allow saliva to build up and either drip or spray when they shake their heads. For Poncho, that likely means frequent sink baths are just part of daily life with his giant, slobbery best friends.
Another shared their own experience: "I had my Chihuahua first so my Bernie thinks he’s the same size as a Chihuahua. I have no internal organs left from the race to get to my lap first."
A third joked: "This is really dangerous! The Chihuahua could grow up thinking it’s a Saint Bernard and go on to audition for the Beethoven movie reboot, only to get super embarrassed and heartbroken when the producers tell him he doesn’t meet the height requirements for the role."
Poncho’s story is proof that the strongest friendships don’t have to look alike—sometimes, they come in very different sizes.
Update 10/22/25 05:25 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to add the original video and comments from Zack Zornes.
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