American Great Dane, Zeus, confirmed as world's tallest living dog
The Guinness World Record has confirmed Zeus, an American Great Dane from Texas, as the tallest living dog in the world. The two-year-old pup stands at 3 ft. 5.18 inches.
"He's been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy," Zeus' owner Brittany Davis told Guinness World Records. "He had huge paws."
Zeus, who is gray and brown, was born to a merle sire and brindle dam and was the largest puppy in a litter of five.
Davis says a typical day in the life for Zeus includes going on walks around the neighborhood, wandering around local farmers markets and sleeping by his window. She says her dog is terrified of rain and is generally well-behaved, although he does enjoy stealing her baby's pacifier and eating food left on counters.
He lives at home with three miniature Australian Shepherds and one cat.
Zeus' diet includes twelve cups of "Gentle Giants" large breed dog food every day, and occasionally he enjoys a fried egg, bully sticks or ice cubes, which are one of his favorite treats, according to Guinness World Records. Davis says his water bowl is a sink.
When in public, Zeus draws plenty of stares and surprised reactions. She says the recent world record title often shocks people.
"We get a lot of comments like 'Wow, that's the tallest dog I've ever seen,' so it's cool to now be able to say 'Yes, it's definitely the tallest dog you've ever seen!'" she said.
According to the Guinness World Records, the world's tallest dog ever was also a Great Dane named Zeus. He was from Otsego, Michigan and measured 44 inches, but could reach heights of seven feet and four inches when standing on his hind legs. He passed away at the age of five in 2014.