There is a heuristic used by trainers – violated by many a mythical pokemon, but good enough for general use – that the danger posed by a pokemon is roughly proportionate to its size. The exceptions on the smaller end of the scale are dangerous enough that the rule is taught with them in mind; "except for bugs, fairies, and poison" is the usual phrasing, but locally relevant pokemon are always added – including, in the Casseroya Lake region, the menacing Tatsugiri.
It is far less important to teach that a large wild pokemon is in fact a gentle giant, and this knowledge can at times lead to risky behaviors; Snorlax may be sleepy, but this does not make it wise or safe to walk over one while it blocks the road. Dondozo are so friendly to humans, however, that one can swim beside them without being in the slightest danger – but humans, quite understandably, rarely offer them their hand in friendship.
Many generations ago, one human did befriend a Dondozo, and their collaboration led to the creation of a food which has become a world-famous dish in Paldean cuisine – and for others in their industry, once the secret got out, to seek out these immense pokemon. Dondozo have long had to cooperate with other pokemon to attract enough food, because of their large size, and a human economy and restaurateur are even better at this task than a Tatsugiri lure. The large kitchens which characterize sushi restaurants are required to fit the chef, although it is rare for a customer to see anything but its tray-shaped tongue. The details of how this 'sushi' dish is prepared may sound disgusting, but millions of tourists and Paldeans can not be wrong: Dondozo know how to make fish delicious!