Large dogs are often kept for security purposes because their deep barks and sheer size are enough to deter any intruders from a property. But despite their menacing looks, most of these big dog breeds are loyal, affectionate, and obedient. Some of them have even earned the moniker “gentle giants”.

In this article, we will highlight some dogs that have made a name in the media over the years due to their massive size. Read on to learn more about some of the biggest dogs in the world in 2024 and all time.

The 2024 World Records for Biggest Dogs in the World

Big dogs exist, and it’s about their weight and height, metrics that are stacked against competitors to achieve the honor of the world’s biggest canine. While some breeds are expected to have standard height and weight measurements, others typically result in giant dogs.

1. Zeus (from Michigan)

In Otsego, Michigan, there lived a Great Dane named Zeus who could stand on his hind legs to a massive 7 feet 4 inches and a height of 44 inches. He was the tallest dog then, as acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013.

Despite his massive size and intimidating look, Zeus was surprisingly very docile, and according to the owner, he was a lap dog who enjoyed stretching out over the family’s laps. The reputation of Zeus was well known in Michigan because he regularly visited hospitals and schools and also worked as a therapy dog.

People often told Zeus’ owner that he was a horse, not a dog, asking whether he had a saddle for riding him. The record for the tallest dog ever remains with him after he displaced Giant George (another Great Dane who died in 2013) by an inch.

Sadly, Zeus died in September 2014 at age 5.

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2. Giant George

Giant George is a Great Dane from Arizona who had held the title of the tallest dog in the world for several years before he was dethroned by Zeus. Giant George still deserves a spot on our list because of his impressive weight. The Great Dane had a length of 7 feet and 3 inches from nose to tail, weighing 245 pounds when measured in 2010.

Described as tall as two average Golden Retrievers stacked on top of each other, Giant George was the runt of the litter when his owners bought him. He would eat 110 pounds of food every month, with a typical meal consisting of dog food mixed with rotisserie chicken, yogurt, and rice.

Giant George mostly worked as an ambassador for lost dogs prompting people to donate money to animal charities. Unfortunately, he lived for only eight years and passed on in 2013, which for this breed is quite old.

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3. Titan

Titan is a Great Dane from California that officially received the Guinness World Record title for the tallest dog in the world in November 2009. This massive breed was gentle, affectionate and got along with dogs of all sizes. He was often mistaken for a horse or cow by children as he went for walks with the owner.

Sadly, just like in many lanky and large dog breeds, Titan struggled with several health issues like epilepsy. Moreover, he was deaf and blind. He had to go for chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture after every three weeks.

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4. Gibson

Gibson is another worthwhile contender for the biggest dogs in the world. Weighing 180 pounds, this dog was the tallest dog in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004.

Gibson lived a glamorous lifestyle and was even featured alongside TV celebrity hosts such as Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. He even served as a mascot of ForeverLawn. He was also trained and certified to work as a therapy dog.

Born in April 2002, Gibson’s pedigree name was a mouthful: Millennium of Rocky Dane Gibson Meistersinger. He worked as a therapy dog and gained worldwide fame. Sadly, he was plagued by ailments common in large dog breeds and succumbed to bone cancer in 2009.

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5. Zeus (from Texas)

Another dog named Zeus, a Great Dane from Texas, also holds a spot on the world’s tallest dog list. In 2022, the Guinness World Records confirmed that at just 3 years old, Zeus was about 41 inches tall and 7 feet 4 inches when standing on the rear legs, making him the tallest living dog at the time.

According to Brittany Davis, she was gifted this dog when he was eight weeks old and was among the largest puppies in a litter of five. She recalls that he had the biggest paws she’d ever seen. He was born with a gray, white, merle, and brindle dam sire coat.

Unfortunately, Zeus passed away in 2023 from pneumonia after a lung cancer diagnosis.

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6. Major

Major is another Great Dane breed that deserves a spot on our list of big dogs. This massive dog was taller than seven feet tall when standing on his hind legs at age 5. He was so large that he slept on adult-sized mattresses.

He was a contender for the tallest dog in the world but fell short by just a few millimeters.

This dog was genuinely sweet-natured and gentle towards his family members. Major even did a photoshoot with Disney, the smallest dog in Britain, which melted the hearts of many.

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7. Freddy

A Great Dane from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, Freddy was officially designated as the tallest living dog in the world by Guinness Records in 2016. When measured, he was over 40 inches and while standing on his hind legs, his height more than doubled to 89 inches. Unfortunately, this gigantic pet passed on in 2021 after his 8th birthday.

According to the owner, Freddy was the runt of his litter. However, he experienced a sudden growth spurt that got him as tall as he is today. Freddy and his sister, Fleur, chewed through 26 sofas by the time they were adults.

He might have been a destructive puppy, but he grew up to be a gentle dog who enjoys spending time with the owner with a fondness for paw massages. However, Clare had to take him out for regular walks to help dissipate pent-up energy because he could prove to be quite difficult to handle when too excited.

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8. Atlas

Aptly named Atlas, this dog was the only one in his litter and weighs 225 pounds. He also measures 40 inches and 3 feet 4 inches long from his paws to the withers.

These measurements were taken while Atlas was only 6 years old, and he is on a fast track to getting certified as the tallest living dog in the world by the Guinness Book of Records. This dog has about an inch over the current record holder who measures 39.7 inches, and now that Zeus from #5 has passes away, Atlas could take the title.

Atlas’ Guinness records are yet to be finalized because the review process for such a prestigious designation tends to be long and tedious and can last longer than three years.

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9. Hercules

While Great Danes might be unrivaled in height, they cannot hold a candle to the bulk of English Mastiffs such as Hercules. In 2007, photos of a massive dog standing as tall as a horse went viral on the internet. The massive dog was Hercules, and he took the world by storm with his sheer height.

In fact, most people thought that the photos were a hoax and likely photoshopped to make the dog appear larger. Nevertheless, Hercules is still recognized as the heaviest living dog in the world by Guinness World Records.

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10. Lizzy

As you may have gathered by now, there aren’t many female dogs that qualify for the list of biggest dogs in the world. However, the last confirmed official holder was a Great Dane named Lizzy from Florida. At 38 inches tall, the owner described Lizzy as a “show-stopper” due to the amount of attention she got from astonished onlookers whenever she ventured outside.

Not only did Lizzy have great looks, but she was also a sociable gentle giant who shared her home with a cat and two small terriers. Unfortunately, she passed on in 2017, leaving the spot for the biggest living female dog in the world vacant.

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11. Aicama Zorba of La-Susa

Aicama Zorba is an old English Mastiff from London and is one of the largest dogs in the world in terms of weight and length. Besides garnering a weight of 315 pounds by 1989, Zorba’s expanse of 8 feet and 3 inches was measured from nose to tail in 1987, but the record’s entry was only confirmed in 2008. Even then, this record is yet to be broken.

He was so big that most people compared him to a small horse or donkey. He was also so tall that when he stood on his hind legs, he towered over most basketballers. The mastiff’s waistline exceeded expectations for the breed, for which males only grow to about 230 pounds.

He was a guest on David Letterman’s ‘Late Night TV show, and a few photos of the enormous dog survived on the internet, although his time was before social media’s advent.

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12. Boomer

Boomer was a Landseer Newfoundland who weighed 180 pounds and measured 7 feet long when the Associated Press profiled him in 2009. The dog didn’t achieve the formidable girths of some of this list’s contenders since he only stood at 36 inches. As such, he failed to meet the minimum requirements for consideration by the Guinness Book of World Records, which is a height of 40 inches.

According to his owner, Boomer could drink water from the faucet without hopping onto the kitchen counter. Having snowballed as a puppy, problems at Boomer’s home included knocking off things from the counter with his tail due to his stature.

Boomer passed away in 2012.

Final Thoughts

Various dog shapes and sizes exist, from tiny lap and toy dogs to mighty gentle giants like Zeus and Atlas. However, some canines take all the biscuits when contending for the biggest dog in the world, defying expectations to reach outstanding proportions to capture records and the world’s admiration.

These colossal canines carry their sheer size, height, and weight, leaving onlookers in awe. But most of them, despite being gigantic, are remarkably gentle and offer extraordinary companionship for their lucky owners. They can also be quite effective when deterring intruders from accessing your property.

Besides, you never know if your dog might just bag a spot in the list of the biggest dogs in the world.

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Featured Image Credit: Yuri Nunes, Shutterstock