Jacob Chinn, Guinness World Records
The world has a new tallest dog! At four years old, George the Great Dane stands 43 inches high from paw to shoulder, which is the method Guinness World Records uses to determine a dog's official height.
The announcement settles a hotly-contested debate that had been brewing since last November when Guinness proclaimed Titan, a Great Dane from San Diego, Calif. who measures 42.25 inches high at the shoulders, the World's Tallest Dog. George's owner, David Nasser of Tucson, Ariz., claimed that his Great Dane was taller, but there were conflicting reports about the dog's actual height. To settle the controversy, Guinness sent a representative to preside over an in-person measurement. The outcome? George had edged out Titan by three-quarters of an inch. (Prior to Titan and George, the previous holder of the World's Tallest Dog title was Gibson, a Great Dane who passed away in 2009.)
At 43 inches tall, "Giant George," as Nasser likes to call him, is the tallest dog ever recorded by Guinness World Records. He's already appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and has over 21,000 fans from all over the world on his Facebook page. "It's been amazing," says Nasser. "Fans have written in from the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea and South America."
The sable-colored Great Dane weighs a whopping 245 pounds and measures seven feet and three inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail -- though he doesn't raise up on his hind legs, he's too big for that. "When George is standing on all fours and lifts his head, the tip of his snout measures 55 inches, or more, off the ground," Nasser tells Paw Nation. "You have to be careful. Nothing is off-limits to him."
As a puppy, George had huge paws and already weighed 17 pounds at seven weeks of age. "He looked like a thick fur ball. He was so pudgy and cute," says Nasser. George quickly outgrew his crate. He used to sleep in a king-sized bed with Nasser and his wife, until the arrival of the couple's infant daughter. The massive dog now sleeps on a queen-sized mattress at the foot of the couple's bed.
"We had no idea he would get this big," says Nasser. "He weighs 100 pounds more than the regular Great Dane."
Not surprisingly, George has a fondness for food. "The first thing he does when he wakes up is eat; it's the first thing on his mind," says Nasser. "Then he goes outside to use the bathroom."
George goes through 110 pounds of dry dog food each month, but "that's actually not that much," says Nasser. Like many of us, George is forced to watch his weight. "He used to eat a lot more, but he's on a diet right now because he's getting a little heavy," says Nasser. "At 245 pounds, it would be better if we could take about 10 pounds off him."
For most of the day, George naps and keeps an eye on the house. "He's a good watchdog," says Nasser. But come evening, George gets a burst of energy and needs to be walked or taken to the dog park.
What's it like going out in public with such a colossal canine? "It's a hoot," says Nasser. " You hear comments, such as 'get a saddle for that thing,' or 'that's a horse, not a dog,' and 'wow, that's the biggest dog I've ever seen.' You literally hear it every time you go out."
George is an especially big hit with kids. "At the dog park, there are kids that come just to meet him," says Nasser. "George is great with kids. They'll hang on him and pull his ear or his tail and he doesn't mind at all."
Is your pet a potential record-breaker? Guinness World Records is currently searching for contestants in the following categories: Longest Ears on a Dog, Smallest Dog (Length), Oldest Dog, Smallest Cat and Oldest Cat. Submit your record claim at www.guinnessworldrecords.com!
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my 40lb mayday pitbull would eat him
...which is why you should either put a muzzle on him or have put to sleep.
Man your pitbull would get tore the hell up..That would be like your dog trying to fight a baby bear..It wont win..
Dont pittbulls get a bad enough rap as it is without you saying crap like that.
Yeah right..LMAO
What an asinine thing to say. Maybe your pit bull will eat you.
your pitbull dont have a chance in hell with dat great dane, my money is on dat dane, get a real dog dude
your pitbull would be mincemeat you dumb idiot!
I strongly agree with D those kind of comments are why pitbulls are have the bad rap they do. I am 50 years old and have owned pitbulls most of my life. I have found them to be loving loyal pets and not one I have owned would want to eat him . Most of them would try to play with him and furthermore I believe that the people who teach these dogs to fight each are the ones should be shot or euthanized not the dogs .
What a STUPID comment. That dog would squash your 40 lb. dog.
ur problly most likely either a hood street rat that needs his dog to protect him. or ur just one of those retartds that pretends that they r in a rap video, trying to b cool. It's ppl like you, that train the dog to be vicious, that now they r purposily killing pitt bulls. Just do the world a favor, jump off a bridge.
thanks.
I have a great dane, and she has been attacked before by another dog. She is too gentle to fight back, which says a lot for her breed. I cannot have any respect for you as a dog owner if you want dog to attack others. Unfortunately for the rest of us, pit bulls are bred to be very aggressive, but to make matters worse, most of their owners seem to want them to draw blook. I dont believe in unprovoked violence, but if your pit bull were to attack me or my dog, I would have to defend myself, at the expense of your dog.
Wow, as if we don't have issues with pits as it is. Well MY 50 lb and 65 lb pit bull would have a riot running around with dogs like this all day, and at the park with the kids.
Great Danes are gentle giants. Anyone who owns a dog just to prove how aggressive it can be does not deserve the privilege of a dog's companionship. Don't kill the dog. Educate the idiots.
Proud owner of a beautiful Great Dane.
Ha ha! My friend has great danes, one with wobblers (pinched back) it was being attacked by a pit bull. Her male great dane came to her rescue grabbed the dog by its neck and threw it out and off like trash. It happened again by a black german shepherd and I witnessed this one same thing grabbed the dog and just heaved it. A great dane can do in your dog if pushed. Gentile giants but can be fierce!
way to totally give pitbulls an even worse reputation by condoning they fight.
they are the sweetest breed if raised properly.
so....where do you live we will visit. now step up and say where do you live. we will visit.
Yeah right another stupid dog owner making a remark about his "fighting dog" Get a grip dude!
Most guys with 40 lb. mayday pitts, usually own them, to compensate for a short-coming of their own
You are an idiot. You need to be put down!