Giant George facts for kids

Giant George was a famous blue Great Dane dog. He was once known as the world's tallest living dog. He also held the record for the tallest dog ever, according to Guinness World Records. George was a little taller than the previous record holder, a dog named Titan. Later, another dog named Zeus became taller than George. George's amazing records were announced in February 2010 when he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

About Giant George

Early Life and Home

George was born on November 17, 2005. His owner, David Nasser, got him when George was just 7 weeks old. George lived with David and his wife Christine in Tucson, Arizona.

George was a very big dog! He weighed about 245 pounds (111 kg). This is much heavier than an average Great Dane. He was measured at 43 inches (109.2 cm) tall at his shoulder.

George's Daily Life

Because of his huge size, George had some special habits. At home, he loved to sleep in a queen-sized bed, just like a person! He also enjoyed riding around his neighborhood. His family would take him for rides in a golf cart.

Traveling with a Giant Dog

Traveling with George was quite an adventure! When he flew to Chicago for his TV appearance, he needed a lot of space. The airline gave him a whole row of three airline seats all to himself.

George caused a lot of excitement on the plane. Many passengers came to see him and take pictures. His owner, David, said that so many people came to the front of the plane that the pilot had to turn on the "fasten seat belt" sign to get everyone to sit down!

George, David, and Christine had to sit in the bulkhead area. This is a special section that divides first class from the rest of the plane. They were supposed to fly first class, but there wasn't enough room for George there. So, they flew the next day instead.

When Did George Pass Away?

Giant George lived a happy life. He passed away on October 17, 2013, when he was 7 years old.

Becoming a World Record Holder

Verifying George's Height

There were some different ideas about how tall George was. So, Guinness World Records sent a special judge to check his height. Craig Glenday, the Editor-in-Chief for Guinness World Records, explained that this record was very important. They wanted to make sure the measurement was correct.

A veterinarian named Jim Boulay measured George. A Guinness representative, Jamie Panas, watched to make sure everything was done right. They confirmed that George was indeed taller than the previous record holder, Titan.

The Big Announcement

George's new records were announced on February 22, 2010. This happened when he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. George had actually been given the titles a week earlier, on February 15, 2010. However, Oprah's team asked everyone to keep it a secret until the show aired.

Oprah's show had wanted George to appear even before he got the titles. But his owner, David, asked them to wait. He wanted Guinness to officially approve George's record first.

Guinness World Records used George's new record to tell people about other pet-related record searches. They looked for things like the dog with the longest ears or the oldest dog.

See also

In Spanish: Giant George para niños