tail wagging the dog, the

Idioms  

1. A small or unimportant factor or element governing an important one; a reversal of the proper roles. For example, She found herself explaining the new therapy to her doctor—a real case of the tail wagging the dog. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

“PES started to focus on the wrong elements. It went too mad for players that resembled their real-life counterparts, and motion-capture was front and centre. This was the tail wagging the dog. The engine was creaking, and responsiveness went out in favour of realism.”

From The Guardian

Far from it being a case of the tail wagging the dog, the collection looked great, even removed from its Japanese element and shrunken to smartphone-size.

From New York Times

“We’ve got the tail wagging the dog. The arrest in New Orleans is nothing but a product of the Los Angeles arrest warrant.”

From New York Times