Tom Brady showed off his pint-sized ‘guard dog’ — and a Hollywood star’s teacup Poodle photo instantly one-upped him in a hilarious showdown
Tom Brady recently shared a glimpse of his pint-sized 'guard dog,' setting the stage for a playful and unexpected showdown with a Hollywood star over their tiny pets. The humorous moment unfolded on Monday, December 8, 2025, when the NFL legend posted a photo of his small rescue pup on his Instagram story. The post quickly caught attention online, especially when the Hollywood actor responded with a picture of his own teacup poodle, sparking a lighthearted contest that entertained fans everywhere.
As reported by PEOPLE on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, Brady’s small gray, white, and black-coated dog, Fluffy, was pictured sitting on a couch, looking adorable and cutely lost in his own world, with the caption, “My Guard Dog.” Not long after, "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor Orlando Bloom joined the playful exchange by sharing a photo of his teacup Poodle, Biggie Smalls, also perched on a couch. Bloom, who has described the little dog as his “emotional support” pup, wrote, “@tombrady I see your guard dog and raise you mine.” The friendly challenge quickly caught attention online.
For a while, it seemed Brady might let the playful contest continue, enjoying the humorous posts from Bloom. But eventually, the retired quarterback shared a response, reposting the picture of Biggie Smalls with several laughing and tongue-out emojis. He admitted, “Ok…you win @orlandobloom,” acknowledging the actor’s tiny companion in the lighthearted showdown.
Amid all the attention on the playful dog posts, Tom Brady’s connection with his pets runs even deeper. The retired quarterback recently shared that his new dog, Junie, is actually a clone of his late dog, Lua, who passed away in December 2023. Before Lua died, a simple blood sample was taken and sent to Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company based in Dallas, in which Brady is an investor. Using that sample, scientists were able to preserve her DNA and, months later, bring Junie into the world. Brady announced the news on November 4, 2025, at the same time Colossal shared a major new business partnership. Reflecting on the process, he said, “I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” and added that the technology “gave my family a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog.” Brady also highlighted the potential of this science to help families cope with loss while contributing to animal conservation efforts.
Lua, a Pit Bull mix, had been a constant presence in Brady’s life during his marriage to Gisele Bündchen, appearing in social media posts, family photos, and even a 2014 commercial with Brady. Her passing left the family heartbroken, with both Brady and Bündchen posting tributes online. Now, with Junie in the home, the family feels a renewed sense of comfort and connection. Colossal’s cloning work comes as the company expands its projects, including a partnership with Viagen Pets and Equine, which has cloned pets for celebrities before. The process relies on technology developed by the same institute that created Dolly the Sheep, and the company hopes to use it not only for pets but also for endangered and extinct species.