Meet Zeus: The tallest dog in the world

The two-year-old American Great Dane is 3 ft 5.18 in (1.046 metres) tall.

The Guinness World Records Wednesday announced Zeus, a two-year-old American Great Dane, as the world’s tallest dog living (male).

With a height of 3 feet 5.18 inch (1.046 metres), Zeus is an unusually tall dog. He lives with the Davis family in Bedford, a city in Texas, US, and was adopted by Brittany Davis when he was just eight weeks old.

Recalling his puppyhood, Davis told Guinness World Record, “He’s been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy. He had huge paws”.

Talking about the reaction she gets whenever people see Zeus, Davis said, “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 also added, “The comment that we hear most often is ‘Wow, that’s a horse!,’ ‘Can I ride him?’ or ‘Does he have a saddle?’ The answer to all those questions is ‘no’.”

People are initially intimidated by Zeus, but thanks to his friendly personality, the giant dog has become famous and well-loved in the neighbourhood. Talking about his popularity, Davis said, “Zeus is pretty famous at the Dallas Farmer’s Market. Everyone knows him, and the vendors all know him. He gets extra treats and lots of attention”.

Zeus shares his home with three miniature Australian Shepherds and a cat. Despite his large frame, he goes along with his smaller pet siblings.