Zeus the Great Dane named the tallest dog in the world by Guinness World Records

All dogs are special and beautiful in their own way, but only a select few can say they’re world record holders. Now, one Great Dane is standing a head above other dogs after being named the world’s tallest living dog.

Zeus, a two-year-old American Great Dane, has been officially named by Guinness World Records as the tallest living dog in the world, standing tall at a very impressive 3 feet and 5.18 inches.

Owner Brittany Davis, from Bedford, Texas, says it was always her dream to have a pet Great Dane, but never imagined that hers would be so unique. But it was clear from the very beginning that Zeus would be one big dog.

“He’s been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy. He had huge paws,” Brittany told Guinness World Records.

Zeus’ huge size makes having him around the house a unique experience. “His water bowl is a sink, and he loves to jump onto the fence and talk to the neighbour’s dogs next door,” Brittany says.

And because he’s so tall, he can reach whatever he likes. Brittany said having him around the house is like “having another person.”

“He likes to steal the baby’s pacifier off the counters and any food left on the counters is definitely free reign for him,” she explained.

But despite being so big, Zeus is a gentle dog who is kind to dogs of all shapes and sizes, and to the family’s baby. He shares his home with three miniature Australian Shepherds, who he likes playing with, and a cat named Penelope, with whom he has an agreement to “stay away from each other.”

Zeus’ favorite pastimes include eating snacks (his favorite are ice cubs), playing in the backyard, and taking walks to the local farmer’s market, where he’s become quite a celebrity, and loves basking in the attention.

He’s so tall that onlookers compare him to a horse and ask if he has a saddle. After officially receiving the Guinness World Record, Brittany says she’s looking forward to showing off a bit.

“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!’”

“This has been a whirlwind and unexpected. We never thought we would own the largest living dog.”

Maybe it’s just in the name: It turns out that the previous record-holder was also a Great Dane named Zeus, from Otsego, Michigan. The elder Zeus passed away in 2014 at the age of 5.

He was 44 inches tall, and could stretch all the way to 7 feet 4 inches on his hind legs, and still holds the record as the tallest dog ever.