World's tallest male dog, Kevin, passes away shortly post-certification of his record.
Eli, the titanic record-holder, met an untimely end following a health predicament and a sudden operation.
His kin, who hail from West Des Moines, Iowa, are reeling from the loss, as Tracy Wolfe, his proprietor, revealed in a statement from GWR. "He was nothing short of the ultimate towering behemoth," Tracy lamented, emphasizing affectionately.
Standing 0.97 meters (3 feet 2 inches) from his feet to his withers, and reaching a staggering 2.13 meters (7 feet) on his hind legs, Kevin overshadowed his owner Roger Wolfe significantly.
However, despite his imposing stature, Kevin was the epitome of the gentle giant, Tracy announced during his record-setting announcement on June 13. In fact, he was terror-stricken of most things, even the measuring tape used to verify his record spooked him, with Tracy adding that he was petrified of the vacuum and would dash away at its sight.
When Kevin attending his first training class with Tracy and Roger's 12-year-old son, Alexander, he was so scared he defecated right in the middle of the class.
"I believe he's clueless about his immense size," Tracy said earlier this month. "He's persistently attempting to compile himself into small beds and sit atop us, mimicking smaller dogs' antics."
His preferred pastime was taking snoozes, Tracy shared, and he gobbled up 6 to 10 cups of food daily, with occasional snatches from the kitchen counters.
"Kevin is comical and incredibly amiable," Tracy stated. "In fact, excessively amiable. It's best to keep your mouth semi-closed around him because of his slightly homicidal tongue. However, everyone adores his company as long as they avoid his whip-like tail."
The family welcomed him home as a pup, christened him after Kevin from the film "Home Alone", and marveled as he continued to grow, eventually surpassing even their pony in size.
Eventually, Kevin took over the crowning title of the world's tallest male dog from Zeus, another Great Dane who passed away at age three due to bone cancer in September.
Great Danes usually have shorter lifespans compared to smaller dogs, averaging 8-10 years, and males typically measure around 2.5 feet (0.76 meters) tall, according to the American Kennel Club.
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Despite the Wolfes' grief, they plan to honor Kevin's memory by continually promoting the Great Dane breed and sharing his story with many, as Tracy mentioned in her statement. Us, as animal lovers and admirers of unusual records, can learn from Kevin's tale about his gentle nature and the bond he shared with his family.
