Meet the world's tallest living dog, Zeus

Zeus, the world's tallest living dog.
Zeus, the world's tallest living dog. Photo credit Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records

He still has a ways to go before he catches Clifford, but a Great Dane named Zeus has been named the world's tallest living dog by Guinness World Records.

The two-year-old pup, owned by Brittany Davis, is from Bedford, Texas, and measures in at 3 feet, 5.18 inches, while on all fours.

For reference, that's taller than the average height of a car tire, three Subway footlong sandwiches, and a baseball bat.

Davis shared that she always wanted a Great Dane named Zeus and when her brother brought her the dog at eight weeks old, she couldn't have been happier.

The giant dog eats 12 cups of dog food a day and was given his title on March 22 after being measured and confirmed by his vet.

Despite always wanting the pup, Davis admitted that she was a little nervous at first because of his size. But that soon didn't matter as she fell in love with him.

"He's been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy," Davis told Guinness. "He had huge paws."

Davis said that while he gets his fair share of food, Zeus also enjoys the occasional fried egg, bully sticks, and his favorite treat, ice cubes.

Zeus and his owner Brittany Davis.
Zeus and his owner Brittany Davis. Photo credit Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.
Zeus on a walk.
Zeus on a walk. Photo credit Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records

Great Danes are the perennial winner of the world's tallest living dog honors, and last year it was held by Freddy, who died at the age of 8.

The tallest dog ever recorded was also a Great Dane named Zeus, who measured at 3 feet, 10 inches. So if Davis' Zeus wants to break the record, he has a few more inches to go.

For Zeus, his height has made him a bit of a celebrity as Davis said he is given more than his fair share of attention and treats when he visits the Dallas Farmers Market.

Like any tall person who's constantly asked if they play basketball or hit their head on doorways, Zeus and Davis also hear similar comments frequently.

"The comment that we hear most often is 'Wow, that's a horse!,' 'Can I ride him?' or 'Does he have a saddle?'" Davis said. "The answer to all those questions is 'no.'"

Featured Image Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records