A diminutive Yorkshire terrier named Benny demonstrated that size is no obstacle to courage in a North Carolina backyard, where the dog confronted a black bear many times his size and drove the animal from the property. Video of the encounter, published by TMZ.com on October 19, 2026, shows the scrappy pup circling a tree while his owner attempts to call him off.
According to TMZ.com, the footage captures Benny pursuing the bear around the tree despite the obvious disparity in size. The bear, apparently unnerved by the small dog's persistence, climbed the tree to escape the pursuit. When the animal descended, Benny resumed the chase, forcing the bear to flee the yard entirely. The bear cleared the back fence and disappeared into the surrounding wilderness, per the report.
The incident underscores a broader reality for residents of bear country: encounters between wildlife and domestic animals can occur in residential settings, and even small pets may react unpredictably. In this case, the outcome favored the homeowner, with the bear retreating rather than the dog.
TMZ.com characterized the episode as a case of a dog whose bark proved more formidable than his bite, noting that the bear appeared genuinely frightened of the fearless pup. The video has circulated widely since its publication on the morning of October 19, 2026.