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You may have heard that micropigs are the latest designer pets in the U.K., but in addition to breeding animals to be tiny enough to fit inside a starlet's purse, man has also enjoyed breeding its favorite animals to be terrifyingly huge, just to see what they'll look like. We've compiled some of the largest animals man has ever bred, along with their itty-bitty counterparts.
Big: The LigerYour average male liger tends to hover around 800 lbs. As both the portmanteau and Napoleon Dynamite can attest, these monsters are the offspring of a lion and a tigress (the inverse is called a tygon, and doesn't get as big). No word on their skills in magic, though.
Small: The Toyger The toyger, a (frankly adorable) stuffed animal-looking housecat, derives its name from its striped coat, which looks enough like a tiger to warrant the comparison. The little fellas weigh in between 8-12 lbs., meaning that they'd make a delightful snack for even a 6-month-old tiger cub.
The winner: Big animal. Sorry, ladies, you can't out-cute a freakin' liger.
Keep reading for more big vs. small animal showdowns.
Big: WolfdogWolfdogs, as their boring names suggest, are the cross of a wolf and a wolf-looking dog, usually a husky or German shepherd. While huskies usually top out at 60 lbs. and German shepherds can push into the mid-80s, a wolfdog is pretty comfortable weighing in over 100 lbs., with teeth that Wikipedia says can cut through the toughest padding "like a knife through butter." Who wants one?
Small: Alaskan Klee KaiOn the other end of the canine spectrum, the Alaskan Klee Kai is what happens when you shrink a husky to about 13 inches tall and 10 lbs. The breed carries the word "Alaskan" in its title because it was started in the town of Wasilla, though there's no word on whether Sarah Palin has ever hunted one from a helicopter.
The Winner: Small. Klee Kai is a way funnier name.

Big: Giant Forest Hog
The giant forest hog is the only animal on this list that occurs without human meddling. It's the largest pig breed in the world, with reports of the things topping 1,100 lbs. not uncommon. The largest pig that man has bred in his lust for bacon is the Yorkshire -- the same breed as Babe -- which is a far more reasonable 600 lbs. of pure delicious pork.
Small: MicropigThe U.K. micropig grows to as big as 15 inches, or roughly two-thirds up to your knee, and piglets are even smaller, only about 8 inches long. Despite the news that Paris Hilton had purchased herself a companion named "Princess Piglette", the micropig has yet to make its American celebutante debut; hers was a Royal Dandie™, which sounds more appropriate for her, anyway.
The winner: Big. Two words: more bacon. Big animals are victorious!


























