Freddy the Great Dane, the tallest dog in the world, has passed away

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The dog, who lived in Essex, England, with its owner Claire Stoneman, measured 3 feet and 4 inches (103.5 cm) from foot to withers, or the highest spot on a dog’s back. As it stood, it towered over humans at a massive 7 feet and 5.5 inches (226 cm).

On the up, Freddy was somewhere between NBA greats LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal.

The dog turned 8 and a half years old, Guinness World Records said Wednesday. Most Great Danes live between the ages of eight and 10, according to the American Kennel Club.
“He was my life. My reason. My joy. My annoyance,” Claire Stoneman told Guinness World Records. “My happiness and my ultimate sorrow. He was my heart Dane. My one-in-a-million and loved by the whole world.”
Freddy the Great Dane, left, with owner Claire Stoneman and his sister Fleur.

“He was not only the tallest dog, but also the dog with the most love and the biggest heart. A total limp, hand-fed,” she added.

Freddy was once the little one of his litter and, according to Stoneman, couldn’t even eat from his mother, who said she adopted him weeks earlier than she should have.

“Freddy was such a gentle giant, and it was always a pleasure to see him run towards you,” Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records said in a statement.

“I still can hardly believe he was the runt of the litter. Freddy put a smile on everyone’s face and will be missed by everyone at Guinness World Records. I’m just glad we got the chance to celebrate his record-breaking immensity in the books and share his story with millions of people around the world. ”

Stoneman later said in a Facebook post that she “fought the tears that won’t stop falling,” but finds comfort in knowing how much Freddy loved.

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