A Texas dog has been declared the tallest living male dog in the world. Zeus, a Great Dane owned by Bedford resident Brittany Davis, measures 3 feet 5.18 inches tall.
Davis stated that she had always wanted a Great Dane. Her brother, Garrett Davis, happened to have a friend who bred Great Danes, so he picked the biggest puppy in the litter as a gift for his sister. Brittany Davis has raised Zeus since he was 8-weeks-old.
According to Davis, Zeus was a large dog even at a young age, and she was nervous about his size at first.
“He’s been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy,” Davis said. “He had huge paws.” Now that he is full-grown, he stands nearly shoulder height to his owner.
Zeus lives with three miniature Australian Shepherd siblings and a feline sister. He spends his days taking strolls around the neighborhood and roaming local farmer’s markets. According to Davis, Zeus’ favorite place is the Dallas Farmer’s Market.
“Everyone knows him, and the vendors all know him.” says Davis.
When Davis takes Zeus out in public, she often hears a lot of horse references aimed at Zeus. “Wow, that’s a horse!” “Can I ride him?” “Does he have a saddle?”
When he is not out garnering stares, receiving treats, or inspiring equine jokes, Zeus enjoys sleeping by the big window at home.
Besides attracting a lot of attention, Zeus’ size sometimes gets him into trouble.
“He likes to steal the baby’s pacifier off the counters, and any food left on the counters is definitely free reign for him,” Davis said.
However, she said that Zeus is generally well-behaved.
While Great Danes usually have a shorter life span than other breeds, Zeus is likely to stick around for quite a while. According to Davis, Zeus’ state of health leaves the vet in amazement every time he goes for a check-up.
The Davis family reached out to Guinness World Records when they realized that Zeus was likely taller than the former tallest living male dog. Davis said Zeus’ record title was an unexpected one that emphasized how special he is to the family.
Davis enjoys sharing Zeus with other people and talking about him.
Now when people wonder if that’s the tallest dog they’ve ever seen, the family can now confidently say, “Yes, it’s definitely the tallest dog you’ve ever seen!”
