World's Tallest Dog

Recently the world's tallest Dog died in August 2009. His name was Gibson who was a harlequin Great Dane. Gibson measured 42.2 inches tall at the shoulders and was owned by Sandy Hall of Grass Valley, California.

Gibson appeared on many television shows like the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, the Montel Williams Show, and Animal Planet. He even found time to be a certified therapy Dog as well. He was euthanized because cancer had spread through his body despite chemotherapy attempts.

Guinness Book of World Records says he weighed 180 pounds and was 7 feet 1 inch tall when standing on his hind legs. Great Danes are a breed known for its large size and is considered to be one of the tallest breeds along with the Irish Wolfhound.

The Irish Wolfhound on average is actually the tallest Dog breed, exceeding the Great Dane generally, although this breed is generally much lighter. Wolfhounds generally are up 36 inches tall at the shoulders and can weigh up to 154 pounds.

Both the Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound have much shorter life spans on average than other dog breeds, which is not unusual for large breed dogs. In general these dogs only live between 7 to 10 years. Gibson was 7 years old when he had to be euthanized.

Currently the Guinness Book of World Records has not named a new title holder, but they should soon, and odds are that the dog will likely be another Great Dane or and Irish Wolfhound.

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What is the Tallest Breed of Dog? Find Out Today

Dog lovers never get tired of learning new Dog trivia. If you have been asking yourself or researching on what is tallest breed of dog, you will find the answer here.

The tallest breed of dog in the whole world is undoubtedly the Irish Wolfhound. This breed traces its roots from Ireland. Traditionally, these dogs were bred for hunting wolfs (hence, the name). Irish wolves have long been extinct in Ireland, as the last of the pack was said to have been hunted and killed about two centuries ago. But the Irish Wolfhound has outlived them to be the undisputed holder of the tallest dog breed title.

Going further back in history, however, it is said that Irish Wolfhounds were being bred in Ireland as early as the 500 BC, and were being used by the Celts for both hunting for wild animals and guarding their livestock, as well as for war and dog fights. Other historical accounts indicate that they were event transported to Rome to participate in the animal games. It is said that the Quintus Aurelius Summachus, consul of the Roman Empire, wrote a litter in 393 AD to his brother, to express his gratitude for sending a pack of Irish Wolfhounds to Rome, which the Romans found entertaining due to their size.

When it comes to warfare, the Irish Wolfhounds also boast of a colorful history. It is said that when England conquered Ireland, the Irish tried to repel them with trained Irish Wolfhounds to unseat armored knights off their galloping horses. After which, the infantry would come in to kill the knights that the dogs left off.

The male Irish Wolfhounds grow up to an average height of 33 to 36 inches (or almost three feet at shoulder) while the tallest dogs can tower up to 3.3 feet (over 1 meter). Their female counterparts, on the other hand, can grow up to an average height of 29 to 34 inches or typically one to three inches shorter than the makes. If you measure them from the edge of the snout down to the tail, they can be almost two meters or 6.6 feet.

As to their weight, the males usually grow to an average weight of 113 pounds while the females can grow as heavy as 106 pounds. But when the Irish Wolfhound puppies come out from their mother's womb, they usually weigh about 1.5 pounds only, and then grow fast into adulthood. When it comes to personality, Irish Wolfhounds are not called gentle giants for nothing. They are typically silent and calm but with power-packed body and bark.

Irish Wolfhounds come in gray, wheaten, brindled, and other coat colors like black, white, red, fawn and brown. Life expectancy however is shorter than average. While larger dogs typically live up to a ripe old age of 12 years, Irish Wolfhounds is expected to live up to five to nine years. They usually suffer from heart, stomach and bone problems.

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World Record For the Tallest Dog Breed - A Must Read

Dogs vary not just in breeds, but also in colors and sizes. They are also believed to have different personalities just as men do but never could you associate these personalities to their sizes. There are small breeds that are just so fierce while there are also large or tall breeds that are too gentle and lovable. One good example of this lovable breed is the Irish Wolfhound. They are so tall and big that they are known to snag the world record for the tallest Dog breed. This breed has also been known as the gentle giant of the Dogs.

At birth, the puppies weigh 700g or 1.5 lbs. This breed grows fast, however, thus resulting to long-legged male wolfhounds which weigh over 55 kg or 230 lb and females weighing 48 kg or 150 lbs. Male and female wolfhounds also vary in height. The males on average are 86 cm or almost 3 ft. tall at shoulder while the female Wolfhounds are as tall as 2-5 cm or 1 to 2 inches shorter than male ones. These Dogs can also measure up to 2 m or 6.6 from the snout's tip down to the tail. With their giant-like body structure, they could really scare anyone off at first glance but once you had seen how gentle and affectionate they are, you would fall in love with this kind of dog and you might even want to take them home as pets. You would also soon find out that this breed is the silent but powerful type once provoked.

As the name suggests, the Irish Wolfhound breed is said to be originally created to hunt wolf and other wild animals such as deer and boars in Ireland. More than a hundred years ago, wolves walked the grounds of Ireland but thanks to this breed, wolves cannot be found in the country anymore. In the historical perspective, these dogs are also said to be bred in Ireland in 500 BC and were employed for hunting, livestock guarding and even in wars. From Ireland, they were also traveled to Rome for the famous animal games. They were also an important part of the English occupation in Ireland; they were trained by the Irish knights to fight with them during battles. During the 19th century, the breed was close to extinction but because of its savior's selective breeding program in 1862, the danger of extinction ceased. This savior was known by the name George Graham.

For any dog lovers who would like to have this breed, wolfhounds come in different colors like gray, red, black, pure white brown and brindle. They must also expect this kind of dog to have a shorter lifespan of 5 to 9 years compared to other large dogs which usually live for about 12 years. Their short lifespan is usually caused by genetic heart, bone and stomach issues.

Irish Wolfhound breed is really known for bagging the world record for the tallest dog breed. But once you get to know them well, you'll realize that it's not just their sizes that make them unique but also their affectionate personality.

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