World’s tallest dog Kevin dies at only three years old just months after breaking record as his devastated owners call playful pup ‘the best giant boy’
A record-breaking dog from Iowa who was recently named the tallest dog in the world, according to Guinness World Records, has died.
Kevin, a three-year-old Great Dane from West Des Moines who stood more than seven feet tall on his hind legs, died earlier this week after suddenly becoming ill.
Tracy Wolfe, the dog’s owner, was one of the first to break the news of Kevin’s unexpected death.
“Our entire family is devastated for Kevin. He was just the best giant boy,” she told Guinness World Records this week.
“We’re so happy that he was able to break the record and have that light on him.”
Kevin, a three-year-old Great Dane from West Des Moines, Iowa, died earlier this week after suddenly becoming ill, according to his owners, the Wolfe family.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of Kevin’s sudden passing following unexpected health complications,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson said.
‘Tracy and the team at the veterinary clinic where she works did everything they could to save Kevin after he became ill. Our thoughts and support are with the Wolfe family during this difficult time.”
The Wolfes were proud of everything Kevin was able to accomplish before his death.
“He absolutely loved the attention,” Wolfe’s statement said.
“I wish these giant breeds, and all dogs, would live longer than they do. There’s never enough time.’
The Wolfe’s confirmed in a statement to Guinness World Records earlier this week that Kevin suddenly became ill and died during surgery.
The Wolfes were proud of what Kevin was able to accomplish before his death
The Wolfe family adopted the three-foot-tall, two-inch Great Dane, naming him Kevin after a famous movie line.
“When we got him, he was watching Home Alone,” Tracy said in a Guinness World Records video posted on June 13.
She added that the family kept shouting the Home Alone line, “Look what you did Kevin,” which eventually stuck.
Before his death, Kevin enjoyed spending time with Tracy, along with her husband, Roger, and their children, Alexander, 12, and Ava, 10.
When Kevin wasn’t playing with his owners, he was probably taking a nap or, as Tracy said, “holding down the couch.”
Tracy described Kevin as “funny” and “overly friendly” and that everyone liked him as long as they didn’t “get hit on the tail.”
The owner revealed that Kevin’s bad behavior was usually related to food, but that he was a “pretty good kid.”
The Wolfe family adopted the three-foot-tall, two-inch Great Dane, naming him Kevin after a famous line from the movie Home Alone
During the video, Kevin, who was the average height of a three-year-old boy on all four legs, was almost the size of a miniature horse.
‘No matter what he does, he doesn’t gain much weight. He still remains very thin, but he eats six to 10 cups of food a day,” Wolfe said in the June 13 video.
Despite towering over most animals, Kevin still behaved friendly towards smaller animals, including cats.
Tracy revealed that Kevin was always gentle with small dogs and would occasionally chase cats around the house.
She added that Kevin loved the kids and apparently enjoyed the fact that Alexandra and Ava were “just his size.”
Alexander, who Tracy said trained Kevin and took him to obedience classes, showed off his skills with the late Great Dane during the video.
The Wolfe family may not have been surprised by his record height, as they noted his rapid growth over the years.
Kevin was the average height of a three-year-old boy who enjoyed playing with Alexander Wolfe, 12, and Ava Wolfe, 10
Alexander had trained Kevin and would take obedience lessons with him. He showed his enthusiasm in a June 13 video posted by Guinness World Records
“As a puppy, we kept thinking, ‘He just keeps growing,’ and we’d say, ‘He’s the tallest dog I’ve ever seen,’” Tracy said.
That turned out to be the case less than three months ago, after Kevin was verified as the tallest dog in the world on March 20.
Kevin claimed the title of world’s tallest dog from Zeus, a Great Dane who died after contracting pneumonia while battling cancer in 2023.
Like the Iate Iowa Great Dane, Zeus was three years old when he died.
Zeus stood 3 feet and 5 inches tall before his death and was said to tower over his owners in Texas when he stood on his hind legs.
Kevin’s death now means that Guinness World Records will have to find out which dog is currently the tallest dog in the world.
Daily Mail has contacted Guinness World Records for comment.