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PEABODY, Mass.
(USA) — I say, has anyone seen a
283-pound dog out there?
If you have, you have a few days to
call up Guinness
World Records before they hand over the Largest Dog award to
"Hercules", an English Mastiff with a 38-inch neck and 282
pounds of pure dog.
Nine-year-old David DeLauri of Lynn, MA
overheard his father talking to the dog's guardian John Flynn earlier
this week. The youngster had been reading the Guinness Book and
was quick to point out that Hercules is a record-breaker.
Sure enough, after faxing veterinary
records to the Guinness office in New York, Mr. Flynn was notified that
his pooch (does the word "pooch" still apply to dogs who weigh
as much as Hulk Hogan?) will be listed as the official Largest Dog in
the World unless someone else comes forward.
With "paws the size of
softballs" (reports the Boston
Herald), the three-year-old behemoth outpaces his breed's average
200lb. limit, although Mr. Flynn indicates that there has been nothing
abnormal about his diet. He reports, "I fed him normal food
and he just grew."
LEICESTERSHIRE — Hercules'
sheer volume may have won him the Largest Dog title, but apparently the Heaviest Dog title still rests with "Kell" who weighed in at 286 (just
four lbs. heavier) in August of 1999. This English Mastiff,
however, only has a 32-inch neck.
Photo: Guinnessworldrecords.com
(We have digitally superimposed
the Statue of Liberty for reference.)
UPDATE Jan. 10,
2002: One canine connoisseur wrote in to inform us that Kell, pictured
above, is not an English Mastiff; she's a Neo Mastiff. Oops, our
expertise in dogs stops at around 100lbs. Thanks, Gary! |
UPDATE Apr 14, 2007 -
Herculean Hoax
This phantasmagoric photo of "Hercules" has been recently circulated around the internet; however it is a digital fraud. We'll have a picture of the real Hercules for you on Monday. Check our latest news page. |
Other Guinnessworthy dogs currently
include "Duke" and "Olive Oyl".
 NORTH
DAKOTA — Duke,
a seven-year-old Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix, was inducted
into the Book in 1998 after he displayed his unique ability to climb 13
tires (9'-4", 2.84m) and fetch a toy placed at the top (photo: GWR).
For his historic distinction, Duke was retired from ordinary cattle-dog
duty at his North Dakota ranch and now enjoys the the celebrity
lifestyle, which, for a dog, involves running around, chasing things and
eating. Pretty much the same as before, I suppose.
 GRAYS
LAKE, IL — Olive
Oyl, a Russian Wolfhound, made the Guinness Book in July 1998, the day
before Duke. This airborne dog from Grays Lake Illinois, USA was
eight years old when she skipped rope 63 times in one minute. "When Olive hears the word
'up' she
knows to lift her front feet, and the back feet follow," reports
Guinness.
Singing "Apples, Pears, Peaches
and Plums" just helps her out with the counting.
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