Kevin the Gentle Giant Crowned World’s Tallest Dog

Some dogs are simply born to be famous! Some do it with their accomplishments, others with their latest tricks, but Kevin the Great Dane did it with nothing else but his size. He is officially recognized as the world’s tallest living dog, and he is described as a true gentle giant.

Named after the main character from the movie “Home Alone”, Kevin officially claimed the world record title after he was measured at 3ft 2in (0.97 meters) from his feet to his withers. For comparison, that is the average height of a three-year-old child. An average Great Dane, on the other hand, is around 2ft 6in (0.76 meters) to the withers. 

The record was previously held by another Great Dane, Zeus, who tragically died at the age of three this past year, leaving the title to Kevin. Living in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA, Kevin is in the loving care of his owners – Tracy and Roger Wolfe, and their children, Alexander (12) and Ava (10). He is not the only pet in the family: he is accompanied by three other doggos, four cats, and a multitude of chickens, horses, and goats. 

And, besides being so tall and majestic, Kevin is just an ordinary pooch. He loves to snooze on the couch and won’t hesitate to protest if his favorite spot is taken. Still, his owners describe him as a real gentle giant. According to Tracy Wolfe, he is a true fan of snuggles and is very afraid of the vacuum cleaner. 

He was similarly spooked by the officials who came to measure him for his record. The measuring tape really gave him the heebie-jeebies. 

“Kevin is the epitome of a gentle giant,” Tracy said. “In fact, he is scared of most things. He is terrified of the vacuum. He won't let it come within 6 feet of him! He will jump and run to get away from it.”

Kevin’s owner Tracy, herself employed at a vet clinic, says that he is just a big baby, and often acts as if he has no idea how big he is. 

“When Kevin, or any of my dogs, come to my clinic, I put a baby gate up in the door of my office. That way I can keep my door open, but keep the dogs in,” she added. “Kevin is hilarious. He will be in there and stay whenever I am in there. However, if I leave, he just steps right over the baby gate like it's nothing! I don’t think he’s aware he is as big as he is. He’s continuously trying to squeeze into small beds and sit on top of us, and do everything that the smaller dogs do.”

Of course, as all dogs do, Kevin also has his naughty side. He is adept at snatching food off of counters, aided by his great height. “Kevin can be stubborn,” Tracy said. “He can be naughty. It’s usually food-related. Otherwise, he’s usually a pretty good kid.”