World's Tallest Dog Would Not Like To Be a Horse. He Prefers Being Spoiled By People.

BEDFORD, TX — With legs that seem to go on forever, Zeus is oversized, even for an American Great Dane. Already a favorite among the people who mill around at the Dallas Farmers Market, his celebrity may be paparazzi-worthy now that Guinness World Records has crowned him the planet’s tallest living male dog.

Zeus stands 3 feet, 5.18 inches from foot to withers. Even if he is practically the size of a pony, Zeus is graceful as he moves about his home in Bedford, Texas, where he’s been with Brittney Davis since he was a pup, the largest in a litter of five.

He was big then, with “huge paws,” Davis said in a Guinness YouTube video. “He had huge paws.”

Zeus has a personality as big as he is. As a breed, Great Danes are known for their laid-back, peaced-out dispositions and are called “gentle giants.” That’s Zeus to a T in most respects, Davis said.

Because of his size, “it’s like having another person in the house,” Davis said, but Zeus is a member of the family in every other respect. The dog bunks with Davis’ teenage son in a queen-size bed.

“You won’t find one without the other,” she said. “They love being with each other.”

Zeus and the family’s three miniature Australian shepherds are pals, too, and he especially likes wrestling with Zeb. Penelope the cat flees when he’s around, though.

“He and the cat have a mutual agreement to stay away from each other,” Davis said.

Though sweet and a source of joy most of the time, he does have a stubborn streak and “doesn’t do anything unless he wants to.”

He has an ornery streak, too. He likes to take the baby’s pacifier or steal a snack from the kitchen counter, among other antics.

Zeus was confirmed as the tallest living male dog earlier this month, and the attention he’s gained is likely to make him an even bigger standout around town. When they encounter him, people already exclaim, “Wow, that’s a horse,” wonder if he has a saddle and ask if they can ride him, Davis said.

If he could talk, Zeus would take a hard pass — Davis is sure of that. And although he may stand wither-to-wither with a young colt, “he would not enjoy being a horse,” she said.

Nope, not this dog.

He enjoys being a star for the people, and being spoiled by the people.

“Zeus is pretty famous at the Dallas Farmers Market,” Davis said. “Everyone knows him, and the vendors all know him. He gets extra treats and lots of attention.”

Other Tall Dogs

Coincidentally, another Great Dane named Zeus previously held the same world record. That Zeus stood 44 inches from foot to withers. Standing on his hind legs, he stretched to 7 feet, 4 inches, according to Guinness.

• Related: 7-Foot, 4-Inch Dog, World’s Tallest Ever, Dies In Michigan (Video)

The Otsego, Michigan, dog died of old age at 5. On average, Great Danes live six to eight years.

Great Danes have dominated the Guinness World Record World’s tallest dogs category for years.

You can see more of Davis’ interview with Guinness World Records below.