One of the latest entries in the Guinness Book of Records can give you a drooling dog kiss from nearly a third of a foot away.
A three-year-old English Setter named Bisbee from Tucson, Arizona has become a world record holder for having the longest dog tongue.
At 9.49 cm long, Bisbee’s tongue is longer than a popsicle and hangs out of his mouth like a piece of ham when he pant.
Bisbee takes over the title from former record holder Mochi, a St. Bernard from Sioux Falls in South Dakota, who had a 7.3-inch-long tongue.
Dog tongues serve as essential heat regulators – although they can cause problems such as difficulty breathing.
At 3.74 inches (9.49 cm), the three-year-old pup’s tongue is longer than a popsicle stick, making it the longest tongue on any living dog
Bisbee’s owners — Jay and Ericka Johnson, who’ve had him since he was a puppy — said family members at first thought his tongue might win him a prize.
“I sent a picture of him panting to my sister and my dad, and I think one of them said it could be a world record,” Ms Johnson said.
The owners initially had trouble measuring his tongue when he was awake because the mischievous pup thought they were trying to play.
So when Bisbee was sedated at the vet while his hips were x-rayed, Ms. Johnson took some preliminary measurements before contacting Guinness World Records.
For this record, the dog should have his tongue out of his snout as far as comfortably possible, without causing discomfort or pain to the pup by stretching it out.
A qualified vet then measures from the very tip to where it is first visible from the snout to get the official figure down to a fraction of an inch.
Although Bisbee’s tongue is quite a mouthful, according to owners, it’s not really noticeable until he opens his snout.
“His tongue doesn’t stand out unless he’s panting — when he’s panting and tired, he lunges and hangs out,” Mr Johnson said.
“Otherwise he usually keeps it in his mouth relatively well.”
Long tongues hanging over the jaw can help dogs cool down when they pant.
Having a longer tongue increases the surface area where moisture can evaporate and dissipate heat, although dog tongues sometimes get too long to be practical.
Although Bisbee’s tongue is quite a mouthful, it’s not very noticeable until he opens his snout
Despite having a record-breaking tongue, the Johnsons said Bisbee has many other star qualities, including cuddling, staying close to his owners and having a “great character.”
Macroglossia is the medical term for an abnormally large tongue and is a rare condition that can often cause problems for the puppy.
Dogs with unusually long tongues may develop breathing problems and may need help picking things up off the floor with their mouths.
They can also create a certain mess at dinner, as food they scoop out of their bowl can fly several feet or injure themselves by biting their tongues.
Despite having a record-breaking tongue, the Johnsons said Bisbee has many other star qualities, including cuddling, staying close to his owners and having a “great character.”
“We feel we were lucky to get him, and he was lucky to get us,” Mr. Johnson lamented.
Bisbee’s favorite hobbies are swimming, chasing wasps, and taking daily walks, even though he has hip dysplasia, which limits his ability to move.
At 3.74 inches long, Bisbee’s tongue doesn’t quite compare to that of Mochi, the female Saint Bernard, whose tongue measures 7.3 inches (18.58 cm), which equates to two-and-one – half Jenga blocks.
Mochi, a rescue dog in Colorado, held the record for five years, but sadly passed away in October 2021.
Mochi broke the previous record held by a male Pekingese named Puggy whose tongue measured 11.43 cm (4.5 in).
But both paled in comparison to the longest dog tongue on record, that one belonged to a boxer named Brandy.
Brandy’s tongue was a whopping 17 inches long—longer than a full-sized Subway sandwich—and had to be constantly protected from sunburn and dehydration with the help of a spray bottle.
Brandy lived with her owner John Scheid in St Clair Shores, Michigan until her death in September 2002.
Brandy – the dog with the longest tongue ever – lived with her owner John Scheid in St Clair Shores, Michigan until her death in September 2002.
