A dog owned by a California couple has won the Guinness World Record after her longest eyelash was measured at 7 inches long. The six-year-old newfiedoodle dog is named Coco and is a hybrid between a Newfoundland and a poodle. It is owned by Rachelle Parks and Michael Babich.
The dog's eyelash measures 17.8 cm (7 inches) in length, which is the longest in the world. This record has been going for more than 20 years, and the standard has progressed massively since then. It was originally held in 2000 by the golden Cocker Spaniel Sua (Spain), who had 4 cm (1.57 in) lashes, according to the Guinness World Record.
The longest lash on each pup is now far longer than the previous record, which has been broken multiple times. The Australian labradoodle Ranmura (Japan), who held the previous record in 2014, had lashes that measured 17 cm (6.69 in).
A veterinarian has confirmed that Coco's eyelashes are completely safe and have no effect on her vision other than to make her the most attractive dog in the park.
The record book also states that Coco's lashes were proven to have grown entirely naturally without any assistance. The distance between the eyelid and the tip of the eyelash was measured.
The proud owners of Coco, Rachelle Parks and her husband, Michael Babich, are delighted by this news.
"When we go out, she gets a lot of attention, not just because of her lashes but also because of her size-she's a big girl. People are amazed at her lashes. A few years ago they were like 5 1/2 inches long, and when I checked on Guinness World Records, the current world record was longer," Rachelle Parks said.
"Late last year, I checked again, and they had grown a lot, and then I realised that she would break the record, so I applied. I'm sure they are still growing, and I also tell the groomer not to cut them," she continued.
