The Big Dog vs. Small Dog meme, professionally known as Swole Doge vs. Cheems, became a viral sensation in early 2020. The template features a muscular edit of the Shiba Inu 'Doge' representing a strong or competent entity from the past, contrasted with the small, slumped 'Cheems' dog representing a weaker, modern version. It first gained traction on Reddit to mock the perceived fragility of current generations compared to their ancestors. Since then, the format has evolved to compare everything from historical empires to changing software features, serving as the internet's favorite way to express nostalgic superiority or ironic self-deprecation.