Say hello to Zeus, the world's tallest dog
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OTSEGO, Mich. (AP) - A Great Dane from Michigan is doggone tall.
The Guinness World Records 2013 book published Thursday recognizes Zeus of Otsego, Mich., as the world's Tallest Dog.
The 3-year-old measures 44 inches from foot to shoulder.
Standing on his hind legs, Zeus stretches to 7-foot-4 and towers over his owner, Denise Doorlag. Zeus is just an inch taller than the previous record-holder, Giant George.
Zeus weighs 155 pounds and eats around 12 cups of food a day.
Doorlag says she had to get a van to be able to transport Zeus.
Kevin Doorlag stands with his dog Zeus in Otsego, Mich. (AP Photo/Guinness World Records 2013 Book, Kevin Scott Ramos)
The Guinness World Records 2013 book published Thursday recognizes Zeus of Otsego, Mich., as the world's Tallest Dog.
The 3-year-old measures 44 inches from foot to shoulder.
Standing on his hind legs, Zeus stretches to 7-foot-4 and towers over his owner, Denise Doorlag. Zeus is just an inch taller than the previous record-holder, Giant George.
Zeus weighs 155 pounds and eats around 12 cups of food a day.
Doorlag says she had to get a van to be able to transport Zeus.
Kevin Doorlag stands with his dog Zeus in Otsego, Mich. (AP Photo/Guinness World Records 2013 Book, Kevin Scott Ramos)
No Sherry, YOU need to understand this dog is being underfed.  That's like saying yeah well some humans, like the ones in Ethiopia run a little skinnier...  This is abuse pure and simple.  I cannot believe the GBOWR is showcasing this emaciated animal.  Shame on them and the owners.
All of you worried about Zeus' weight need to understand that the Great Dane breed can sometimes carry an inherited genetic flaw called Gigantism...Gigantism is usually the result of hereditary and glandular disturbance in animals. Gigantism causes a lot of issues, weight gain being one of them, bone density, another. So Zeus is actually better as a leaner weight , it will reduce the pain associated with Hip Dysplasia and/ or any joint discomfort. 15 lbs a week for a Zeus' size is more than fine and i am sure he gets treats as well, I know as an owner of a Saint Bernard, you just cannot say no to those soulful eyes.... So, PLEASE people, don't pass judgement until you know all the facts... pictures can be very misleading
Hello Zeus.
We had a very large black Dane a long while back. When he was happy, he could hit a corner of the wall hard enough with his tail that it would break the skin. Then he would continue wagging and blood would fly.
WOW..... Thats what my girls and I said.Â
Wow - I can't believe all of the people who are judging the owners by this picture. Nothing in this article discusses his health, his needs other than a van and food, his owner's opinion on his weight, or his vet's opinion on his weight.  Good grief people. This dog is basically a teenager. As far as you know the owners are doing everything they can to fatten up the dog or they're not concerned because they know their dog is healthy, or they are concerned and are working on it.  The only people who should pass judgement are those who are directly involved with the care of this dog. Drop the judgement and enjoy the craziness of such a huge dog.Â
Cool dog!Â
"FLUSH DOGGY" bags won't work here.
Wow! now that's a god.
Just wonder what you feed him cause he looks very skinny, you can see his spine? Sorry but you should not be able to see your dogs skeletal structure. If you feed a high kibble he would eat less and hopefully put the weight on and his spine/ribs would not stick out. You want a food that has at least the first 3-4 ingredients being meat- less intake and mess to clean up. Rather then that your just paying for a filler. Some good kibble are Natures Logic, Back to Basics, Wysong Epigen, & Taste of The Wild. Great dehydrated food is CaniSource, k9 Natural & DNA. Cheaper food but still a good food is Orjin. Unless you want to feed Raw he would eat about 3.87 pounds a day just look on raw calculator. I feed 3 dogs weight totaling 135 pounds and one of them a growing great dane/cross already 85 pounds and 27 Inches at the shoulder at 11 months. I truly believe its all in the food- the better the food the healthier the animal, just like us people. If you can purchase a kibble in a grocery store it def is not a good kibble- just read your labels and no what ur paying for.
He is a beautiful dog and congrats on him- do hope you find a way to help him put the weight on...
All the best.
Wow! What a beautiful dog.  I think he is a bit underweight for his size, and would love to see him fatter.  I would hate to see their feed bill every month. Â
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He is simply georgeous......
i worked with danes for years he is a bit under weight but we also had a few we double fed and they still looked like this no matter what we did so maybe hes just one of them that won't fatten up, don't judge to harsh if you don't know his health history!
They can use him as transportation! He eats about 24 times as much food as our dog...lol!
This dog is beautiful but I have to agree with others who have posted.....Your dog needs to eat. It is not at a healthy weight. I can not swallow that a vet said it was ok. Â Please checkout online information regarding to a healthy diet for a Great Dane of his stature. I think it is cool that he is so tall...loved the drinking out of the kitchen faucet thing.Â
 @Cheryl I adopted a rescue Great Dane, that looked very similar To Zeus, and was constantly harassed from people when I walked her about her weight.  Thinner Great Danes live longer and are generally more active, as Great Danes can be very sedentary.  Some thoughts or opinions publicly stated can be inaccurate, uneducated and hurtful.
And now after seeing the video I'm even more sure that "GetOverYourself" kinda just needs to get a grip. Look at how healthy their other 2 dogs look........ and notice when Zeus walks he's not limping or staggering or seeming to be in any discomfort, another good sign he's perfectly healthy and not starved.
The average weight of a male Great Dane is 120-200lbs. The article says he's 155lbs. Don't see why all the fuss about him looking like he's starved. Take a closer look, it's obvious his coat is healthy, it's not blotchy or falling out or discolored. The coat is one of the 1st signs of a malnurished dog and this coat is shiny and gorgeous. Size and depth perfections in photos can be deceiving. I have an 82lb female chocolate lab that in some photos taken with her lying down, she's looks severely overweight - but any vet we've seen comments on how healthy and muscular she is w/o an ounce of fat. I think Zeus looks amazing, like a healthy and lean Great Dane should - any vets or vet techs in this forum want to chime in?
 @AlwaysSpeakUpforLogic A dog can have a healthy coat and still be under weight. I am sure he is loved and also a huge spot light as well so to speak. Yes I def say he is under weight. You should be able to slightly see a dogs ribs being a smooth short coat dog, or be able to feel the ribs with out pressing in. Zues has his ribs and spine very visible which is a sign of being under fed or just NOT the right food. Which could be the reason why he is able to eat all of what he eats and not gain. Maybe they just need a better food or he may have a problem like a thyroid thing going on. Either way some thing the owner needs to get to the bottom of- cause it def is not healthy for the poor boy and at the age of 3 all ready.
I would gladly take him if they needed a home for him lol
Still wish them all the best- hopefully they can get some weight on the boy and a vet or good pet store can help.
 @AlwaysSpeakUpforLogic 120-200lbs is for a dane that's 30"-34" tall. NOT a 44" tall dog like Zeus. You're not supposed to see the spine on ANY dog. And you are to feel the ribs on a dog, not see them. We own bullmastiffs. Large and giant breeds are to be grown slowly, reaching their mature weight as an adult by 3yrs. Zeus has not reached his adult weight even though he is 3yrs old. I have friends with healthy danes. You can not see any of their bones through their skin.
Can you imagine walking this animal into say the Kent  Safeway grocery store which does not challenge animal owners under these circumstances?  Even with a dog in the shopping cart.  Talk about going to the dogs -- literally.
What a beautiful horse... uh, I mean dog!
This dog doesn't look underfed to me. I have a great dane that I keep very lean as well because he has hip dysplasia. I've also had my dog seen by 4 different doctors for different reasons and not once had they told me that he was underweight/underfed. My dane free feeds and is able to eat whatever/whenever he wants and is still skinny. He does not eat crap food either. Fat dogs seem to be the norm in this country - we forget what healthy dogs are supposed to look like. I like the fact that my dog is able to go to the beach and run wild (still like a pup) vs. those danes (and other dogs alike) that are too heavy to move around and play - not to mention the injuries that some dogs endure because of weight issues. Don't judge before knowing all of the facts.
 @nameshouldnotmatter They never any health problems with him...
Holy crap that is one big dog!!!
Nice. I knew it was a Great Dane from a distance. I grew up having danes and they're a wonderful breed to own. Go BIG or go home! No rat dogs for this family. I'd get a cat if I wanted something that small.Â
I like a dog with substance but I don't think I would want one that can slobber all over the kitchen counter. It's bad enough to have one that clears the coffee table with one swipe of the tail.
This boy is definitely underfed and not in good health - he's STARVING to death! When you can see an animal's pelvic bones, spine ridges, and individual ribs, it is NOT "happy and healthy" - it is being starved. If the owner can't afford to feed him, find him a home with someone who can. He is systematically being starved to death, and his life will be shortened because of it. We call this animal cruelty and torture. Please use common sense here.
did you read the part where it says "great dane"? Great dane's are boney and linky dogs in the first place.
 @BVU07mazdaguy No they're not.
 @BVU07mazdaguy No they're most certainly not.
 @BVU07mazdaguy Great Danes should be LEAN, not spiney and boney - he is underweight.
and there could be multiple reasons as to why his bones are showing.....ie arthritis.
If only he was full of muscle, he could be Hercules instead. ;)
I agree with the many other people that have posted about Zues's weight- If he is really eating all day and you are giving him the right amount of food but he still looks emaciated then something is wrong! He could have a thyroid problem, worms, or who knows what... Also you can see his back is hunched up which is another indication that he is sick. Take him to the vet!! NOW!!
@sabberdab Maybe they are feeding him a very low quality (cheap) dog food & he's not getting the nutrition necessary to hold the weight.
 @sabberdab My dog has a hunched back, and our vet said he's one of the healthiest of his breed that he's seen. Locomotion for Bassets, Dachshunds, mini Dachshunds and a few other breeds is a different proposition than the average Beagle.
Keeping him lean is one thing but he could stand to gain at least 15 pounds. The ribs dont bother me as much as seeing the vertebrae on his back stand out like it does. Hopefully he wasnt eating too high of a protein diet. Beautiful dog just needs maybe 15-16 cups a day for awhile to get some more substance behind him.
As long as the dog is happy and healthy, why criticize what the dog look likes. Â Everyone just needs to read and AWWW over the amazement of this big baby!!
@Erika White Emaciated is not healthy, no matter how happy he seems to be.
@Erika White Wrong! This animal is starving. That is NOT alright. He may be ill, but either way, when you can see his hip bones, ribs and spine, he is STARVING. Sheesh, Erika. If one of your children had all those bones showing, but a doctor said he or she was "happy and healthy," would you just say OK? I think not.
12 cups does not equal 30 pounds. Someone please feed this dog, he is obviously under fed. Most likely his owners can't afford to feed him the amount he needs.
 @Barlion I own and foster Great Danes and agree he needs to have a little more meat on his bones. For this breed, you shouldn't see his ribs or vertebrae this well and a dog that tall should weigh more than just 155. He seems loved though and that is important too!
 @Jen Stout  @Barlion They may be keeping him thinner by vet recommendation. With him that tall, a ton of weight could really hurt his hips.
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I do agree that normally a tall dane should be more then 155. The last Dane I had was about 130lbs (female) and MUCH smaller then this guy!
@GetOverYourself How could his ribs be visible but not felt? Wouldn't it be the other way around, where you can feel them but not see them?
@Jalharad @Jen Stout @Barlion No reputable vet would encourage a dog to be this skinny. He is being starved. Feed this poor animal and let the look of his total body tell you when he's at the right weight. You should NOT see pelvic bones or his spine. Ribs might be slightly visible, but when you pet him you should not feel them. I KNOW you can feel each and every one of these ribs, and spine to boot. FEED THIS ANIMAL or give to someone who will take care of him properly.
@Barlion I don't think they were referring to 12 cups as measurements. They meant 12 large cups as in a container or something you drink out of.
 @Barlion I agree that 12 cups does not equal 30 pounds, but he doesn't look under fed to me. If you are thinking he is underfed just because you can see his ribs you are mistaken. You can see the ribs on greyhounds when they are not underfed
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@Coyblue @Barlion Coyblue, you can't just see his ribs...you see his hip bones and his spine. THAT is underfed. He is DEFINITELY underfed. Good grief. Common sense, here, people.
Wow! Â He is well named. Â He looks like a sweet, gentle giant.
 @belsnickles Great danes have a wonderful disposition. Great family dogs. I had several as a child and will buy more soon.Â
 @belsnickles I was thinkin' the same.... Ha! :D)