Michigan Great Dane takes top honor as 'World's Tallest Dog'
Zeus is tall enough to drink from the kitchen sink.
MLive photo
Can you imagine having a dog that consumes a 30-pound bag of food every two weeks and gets frequent stares from passersby?
One family in Michigan lives that reality. Their Great Dane, Zeus, was just named the World's Tallest Dog by Guinness World Records, according to MLive.
Zeus was taller than his sire before the age of 12 months. Now at age 3, he towers over other dogs and can drink from the kitchen sink with all four paws firmly on the floor.
Standing at 44 inches from paw to the withers, the pooch weighs 155 pounds.
Zeus, who lives in Otsego with his owners Kevin and Denise Doorlag, is one inch taller than the previous record holder, Giant George, also a Great Dane.
Males of this breed are typically 30-34 inches tall.
Check out Zeus in action:
Lorrie Shaw is lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com. Catch her daily pet adventures or email her directly.
Comments
onemoreminute
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:33 p.m.
My question is, why is this dog emaciated? Are they keeping him skinny because he's young and still maturing and they're trying to reduce joint stress? Does he have a metabolic disorder? If there isn't a health issue, that dog needs some weight! Hope they've got a good coat to protect his skinny little self this winter. And for those considering a Great Dane, look for a line that produces the correct height per their standard. Any size dane is a big dog, one this big comes with a host of issues that could be hard to deal with.
bunnyabbot
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 3:08 p.m.
he doesn't look emaciated to me at all! Most people overfeed their dogs. He looks lean and fit, he might look too skinny to someone unfamiliar to large dogs or the breed. He has a short coat. Long haired dogs often look big, but if you shaved them down you would see how lean they really are. I know my dog always looks thinner after he blows his coat
music to my ear
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 1:01 p.m.
also big dogs burn more calories that is alot of weight and muscle to toss around.
RunsWithScissors
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:57 p.m.
I'm sure the dog is in fine health. Not all animals need to be roly-poly. In fact, a roly-poly dog is usually considered overweight. I've had dogs that gain weight from thin air and other dogs who consume more food than recommended and were still svelte. My current pooch is much larger than either of his parents and nearly double the size of any of his litter mates. It was just a roll of the dice. Perhaps this was the case with Zeus.
Lorrie Shaw
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
onemoreminute: It's important to remember that canine's of Zeus' size have special needs when it comes to their weight. His weight was carefully managed by his veterinarian in his first couple of years especially, as it was important not to have him gain too weight too quickly because of the stress that can put on his immature bones and joints. This is especially important during the first year, before the growth plates have had a chance to close. Even though Zeus is now three years of age and his growth plates have surely closed, erring on the side of caution and having a lean pooch his size for the long term is always better, as it reduces stress their bones and joints. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
music to my ear
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 11:46 a.m.
and them dogs are so laid back my nephew has one like zeus, my 10 pound chiuaaha attacked him, the big dog was like go ahead whatever get a piece of me there is plenty enough to go around. was so funny.
Lorrie Shaw
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 : 12:55 p.m.
Yes, music to my ear, Danes are notoriously laid back and loving. I have two as clients and I fully appreciate their nature. They're fun dogs. :)