World's tallest dog, Zeus, a Great Dane in the United States, died at the age of three after losing his battle to bone cancer, as per Guinness World Record (GWR). He stood at 1.046 metres (3 ft 5.18 in) and lived in Bedford, Texas. The Great Dane, who in 2022 reached the record height, had to get his front right leg amputated to treat the cancer. Unfortunately, the canine was diagnosed with pneumonia after the operation and lost his life in the early hours of September 12.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved dog, Zeus, the Guinness World Records title holder for the tallest living male dog. Zeus died Tuesday morning of amputation-related pneumonia," Brittany Davis, the owner of the pooch, told GWR. She added that Zeus died with its head in her lap.
"We are so grateful for the time we had with Zeus. He brought us so much joy and happiness to so many people. He will be deeply missed by our entire family. We are so thankful for the amazing team of humans who have been with us through this. Zeus had the absolute best doctors and nurses working around the clock to help him, but in the end, he was just too sick," she said in the statement.
Ms Davis believes that Zeus is "in a better place now, running free and eating the good stuff off of the countertops in heaven."
Ms Davis said in an earlier interview with GWR that she always dreamed of having a Great Dane. Luckily, her brother's colleague bred them and gave an eight-week-old puppy to her. At first, she was nervous about having such a large dog around the house, but it turned out to be love at first sight.
Zeus used to prefer a relaxed approach to life and was "very laid back but also strong-minded'. According to the owner, the dog would not do anything that he did not want to do. "Zeus was a truly special dog. He was gentle, loving, very stubborn but always happy to see his family and many, many friends on his adventures around Dallas & Fort Worth," Ms Davis said.
Zeus would have turned four-years-old in November.
