ZEUS: THE GREAT DANE

If you are a dog lover, then Great Danes would definitely find a way to steal your heart. The Great Dane is a German breed of domestic dog that is well-known for its enormous size and gentleness. He can guard your home like no other dog can.

Great Danes are famous for being the most graceful and beautiful dogs on the planet. Celebrities like Lady Gaga also used Great Danes in her music videos “Poker Face,” “Love Game,” “Paparazzi,” and “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).”

“Zeus” is the most famous  Great Dane who got his name after a Greek God who is considered as “the father of gods” in Ancient Greece. Today, Zeus marks history by being remembered as the “father of Gods” after breaking the Guinness World Record and winning the “tallest dog ever.”

All about Zeus – The Great Dane

The world’s tallest living dog, Zeus, was born in November 2008 and achieved international fame by breaking the Guinness World record in 2012 and 2013 for being the “tallest dog ever.” Once Zeus stood up straight on his back legs, he stretched 7 ft 5 in (2.26 meters), and when he was measured back in 2011, Zeus was “3 ft 8.0 inches (1.118 meters)” from his foot to his withers. He weighed about 70.3 kg (155 lb) and ate 30lb of dog food every day. He was owned by Kevin and Denise Doorlag, a couple living in Michigan.

Zeus – the record-holder

Giant George, a Great blue Dane, broke the Guinness World Record record as “the world’s tallest living dog” and the “tallest dog ever” by Guinness World Records. Giant George weighed about 245 lb (111 kg) and was 43 in (109.2 cm) tall. Zeus managed to be his successor by beating Giant George by 1 inch and winning the Guinness World Record title.

Due to his impressive height, Zeus was able to drink straight from the tap. After winning the title and being termed as the “tallest dog ever,” Zeus became quite famous around the world and was quite the beauty gazer. He never missed the paparazzi or shied away from taking photos. He was definitely a photophile dog.

He was described as  “Measuring an incredible 111.8 cm (44 in) from foot to withers, Zeus is the same size as an average donkey”,”Standing on hind legs, he stretches to 7 ft 4 in and towers over his owner Denise Doorlag’, “The humongous hound weighs 70.3 kg (155 pounds or 11 stone) and eats around 12 cups of food a day (equivalent to one whole 30-lb bag of food!)”, by the Guinness world record committee. Due to his height, many people mistook Zeus for a horse, especially smaller children.

Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs are effectively trained to help spread love, comfort, and support to people often in hospitals, retirement centers, nursing homes, children’s schools, and disaster areas. Therapy dogs differ from assistant dogs because they are trained to interact with all kinds of people and not just their handlers.

Assistant dogs, however, are trained to assist specific patients with their day-to-day physical needs. Taking into consideration Zeus, in addition to his international fame, he was a therapy dog who visited schools and hospitals in Michigan. He always managed to positively affect and bring a smile on the faces of the people he visited.

Fun Facts about Zeus

  • He barely had to reach for treats
  • He loved to go out on walks
  • He liked sleeping on Doorlag’s bed
  • He drank water straight from the faucet
  • He loved getting his photos taken.

A wonderful dog

Great Danes are gentle and playful animals. You certainly wouldn’t be scared seeing your child play with a Great Dane since they are affectionate and good with children. Along with children, they like to play with animals if raised with them.

Zeus was a true gentleman. Zeus’s owner Denise Doorlag described Zeus as “a wonderful dog.”  Zeus was said to have a very laidback personality due to his calm nature. Denise also said that he got along well with everyone, from people to animals.

The Downside

Despite being an awesome dog, Denise stated that the only drawback of keeping Zeus was that he was a costly pet. His food, medicines, etc., cost a lot. In fact, they had to buy a van for his transportation.

Death

In September 2014, Zeus passed away due to natural causes and old age. He was 5 years old. The owners of Zeus were devastated by his passing. Denise said the entire family missed Zeus. He would sit on their laps while barbequing.

Zeus’ gentleness, loving nature, and of course, his unique size helped him stand out from other dogs. He’s remembered by people whose lives he touched during pet therapy.


by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

Facts About Animal Homelessness:

  1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
  3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
  4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
  5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
  6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
  7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
  8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
  9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
  10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
  11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.

Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions