Certified by the Guiness Book of World Records, the tallest dog living is Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane (see more on Great Danes here), who measured 107 cm (42.2 in) tall on August 31 2004 and is owned by Sandy Hall of Grass Valley, California, USA. When he stands on his hind legs, the 170-pound Dane is more than 7 feet tall, taller than most NBA basketball players. The image to the left shows Gibson standing with his Veterinarian - one of many pictures he takes standing over his subject.As big as he is, Gibson is just a friendly puppy in a big dogs body, and is active in therapy work, a close knit family life (which includes hording toys from his sisters), and his new found celebrity schedule. Gibson has been featured in several national newspapers and magazines, he's been featured on Larry King Live and has also worked with some of the players from the Sacramento Kings.
"GIBSON" has a 10 piece sectional retrofitted with mattress and soft cushions, that he shares with his family. At night, "GIBSON" doesn't sleep with me on my bed, he sleeps ON me! He has to be touching Mommie. He is VERY MUCH a Mommie's Boy!What is the funniest thing to have happened to you and "GIBSON?"Everyday/All Day..."GIBSON" is a crack-up. He makes me smile all the time. It's hard to pick any one thing. It was kind'a funny when he went over to a lady in a wheelchair and sat in her lap, without her brakes being on. She went flying backwards and was only stopped by the wall! (Nobody was hurt and the same lady still wants "Gibson" to sit in her lap when he does Therapy Dog Visits.)The Irish Wolfhound was resurrected from near extinction as a dog breed in the 1800’s when they were used to hunt wolves. Today they make excellent companion dogs. Like a lot of larger breeds they are known for their good nature. As a breed they are good with children, and known to be calm, sweet, and loving. Due to its large size and fast growth the Irish Wolfhound tends to be clumsy as a puppy but grows into its large size well.Now, while Gibson may be the world’s tallest dog, he’s not the world’s biggest dog. The title of biggest dog currently goes to Hercules, an English. Unlike Gibson, English Mastiffs usually win the title of World’s biggest dog, as they tend to weigh more than 200 pounds. Hercules weighs about 282 pounds, and is said to have paws the size of softballs. While his parents aren’t breeders they are very proud of their “gentle giant,” who is said to be a very loving dog.English Mastiffs were originally used as military dogs in Great Britain. Today, due to their protective and loving nature, they are prized as family guard dogs. English Mastiffs are very gently and loving with their family and, like most large breeds, excellent with children, they are also very possessive of their family. Due to this tendency it is often recommended that these big fellows be socialized early, as they may be aggressive towards other animals.Large dog breeds, which include the Great Dane, Newfoundland, and Saint Bernard as well as the Mastiff and Irish Wolfhound breeds, are often known for their loyalty and great demeanor with children. These large dogs can make great family pets, provided you have ample space indoors and out for them to stretch and run. The large dog breeds also are known to have issues with hip and elbow dysplasia as well as heart problems, and can require a lot of veterinary care.
