Meet The Tallest Dog In The World: Zeus The Great Dane
The tallest dog in the world was named Zeus, a Great Dane from Bedford Texas. He measured at about 41 inches tall at the shoulder, and 7 feet 4 inches when standing on his hind legs.
This was just an incredible, jaw dropping, specimen of a dog!
But what’s also fascinating is that his predecessor was also a Great Dane named Zeus from Michigan, who previously held the world record for the biggest dog in the world. This Zeus was in fact a bit taller. It measured 44 inches tall at the shoulder.
But what do we mean when we say the world’s biggest dog? Is it height? Is it weight? Is it length? I guess it’s a mixture of them all. And who can forget Zorba the Mastiff dog who still holds the record for the world’s heaviest dog.
That said, the noble Great Dane is generally the tallest of all dogs, perhaps challenged by the Irish Greyhound, Spanish Mastiff and Scottish Deerhound. Hell, you might as well throw a horse into the mix.
But what is it like to own the tallest dog in the world?
Such an honour belonged to Brittany Davis, the owner of Zeus The King Dane (as he’s known on Instagram).
What’s it like to own the tallest dog in the world?
According to various interviews done with USA Today, Sky News and others, Brittany always dreamed of owning a Great Dane.
However, it wasn’t until much later in life that this became a reality, when her brother Garett gifted her an 8 year old pup who would one day grow to become the tallest dog in the world, Zeus the Great Dane!
The majestic Zeus was born with a grey and white merle and brindle coat and was unsurprisingly the largest pup of the litter.
As you can imagine, Brittany was initially quite daunted by the prospect of sharing her house with such a large dog, but those worries immediately vanished as soon as she set her eyes on him.
In her piece with the Guinness book of world records, Brittany remarks: “He’s been a big dog ever since we got him, even for a puppy, he had large paws”.
Like many bigger breeds, Zeus enjoyed a fairly laid back lifestyle. He liked to spend his days strolling around the neighbourhood or sleeping in his bed.
However, there is one place that this local celebrity loved to visit, and that is the Dallas local farmers markets. And why wouldn’t he? Limitless pets and strokes from the regulars and extra treats and chews from the market vendors, what a dream!
What is Zeus like with other dogs and animals?
Although most Great Danes have a moderate prey drive, it appears as though Brittany did a great job in socialising and training Zeus to play and respect other dogs and animals.
He had a mixture of friends and is sibling to three miniature Australian Shepherds. Zeb being his favourite brother who he likes to wrestle and play with most often.
He also shared the house with a cat named Penelope who runs the house. Zeus and Penelope tended to get along just fine, so long as they kept their distance…
Zeus didn’t appear to be the most fearless of dogs either. A far cry from their evolution as German hunting dogs, Zeus was afraid of the rain and water sprinklers. The big softy did enjoy a boat ride though, so I guess he liked an adventure.
The boy was generally well behaved, but his bigger size and clumsiness tended to land him in trouble from time to time. This could be jumping up at the fence to chat to the next door neighbours or taking food off the counter, which was just an easy reach for him. Interestingly, he had a liking for the baby pacifier too.
How expensive is it to own a Great Dane like Zeus?
As you can imagine, fuelling and feeding this gigantic dog was expensive. He ate six cups of large dog breed food in the morning and another six in the afternoon. Occasionally, he hankered for a fried egg and his favourite treat which was ice cubes…
And it’s not only the food that drives up the cost of ownership, it’s the accessories and supplies. Large dog beds & crates, more robust and durable toys, dog proofing your house for such a colossal breed is also an extra investment. However, when a dog like Zeus indulged in his zoomies, I’m not sure there’s too much you can do to mitigate damages. Thankfully, he tired quickly!
However, one often significant cost associated with a large dog breed such as the Great Dane is the cost of healthcare. Large dogs, more often than not, have shorter lifespans (up to 8-10 years) as health complications such as joint issues, heart health, gastrointestinal diseases and cancer are common. These health concerns mean higher insurance fees and premiums, as well as higher vet bills.
How Zeus Got His World Record
Apparently the thought had never really crossed Brittany’s mind until a family member suggested it.
And after measuring her prized pooch, she realised that Zeus probably would qualify for the largest living dog after comparing him to the previous Zeus who sadly passed away in 2014.
Brittany says his achievement has “emphasised how special he really was”.
‘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!’.
Brittany loved being able to show people how fabulous Zeus is and he gave their family so much joy. He’s very partial to a cuddle and sometimes even thought that he was a lap dog.
An update on Zeus – Sept 2023
Unfortunately, Zeus was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on his leg in late August. This is a form of bone cancer. Zeus had previously undergone treatment for this and battled through it with all his might. Unfortunately Zeus has since passed away as of September the 12th, 2023 after complications emerged after a bout of pneumonia.
The wider dog community is tremendously saddened by this news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Zeus and his mother Brittany. Zeus has been a gift to their family, bringing them and the local community so much joy. He was special and will live on in the memories of those who loved him the most.