A record-breaking Iowa dog who was recently announced by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest dog has died.
Kevin, a three-year-old Great Dane from West Des Moines who stood seven feet tall when on his hind legs, died earlier this week after suddenly becoming ill.
Tracy Wolfe, the male dog’s owner, was one of the first to break the news about Kevin’s unexpected death.
‘Our whole family is devastated for Kevin. He was just the best giant boy,” he told Guinness World Records this week.
“We’re very happy that he was able to break the record and have that light shine on him.”
Kevin, a three-year-old Great Dane from West Des Moines, Iowa, died earlier this week after becoming suddenly ill, according to his owners, the Wolfe family.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that Kevin passed away suddenly after unexpected health complications,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson said.
‘Tracy and the team at the veterinary clinic she works at did everything they could to save Kevin after he fell ill. “Our thoughts and support are with the Wolfe family as they go through this difficult time.”
The Wolfs were proud of everything Kevin managed to accomplish before his death.
“He loved the attention,” Wolfe’s statement read.
‘I wish these giant breeds, and all dogs, could live longer than them. There’s never enough time.’
The Wolfes confirmed in a statement to Guinness World Records earlier this week that Kevin suddenly became ill and passed away during surgery.
The Wolfes were proud of what Kevin managed to accomplish before his death.
The three-foot-two-inch Great Dane was adopted by the Wolfe family, who named him Kevin after a famous movie line.
“When we caught him, he had been watching Home Alone,” Tracy said in a Guinness World Records. video published on June 13.
He added that the family kept shouting the Home Alone line, “Look what you did, Kevin,” which ultimately 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 napping or, as Tracy put it, “holding the couch.”
Tracy described Kevin as “funny” and “too friendly” and that everyone loved seeing him, as long as they didn’t get “whipped by the tail.”
The owner revealed that Kevin’s bad behavior was usually related to food, but that he was a “pretty good kid.”
The three-foot-two-inch Great Dane was adopted by the Wolfe family, who named 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 when on all fours, was almost as big as a miniature horse.
‘No matter what you do, you don’t gain much weight. “He’s still very thin, but he eats six to 10 cups of food a day,” Wolfe said in the June 13 video.
Even though Kevin outnumbered most animals, he still acted friendly toward smaller animals, including cats.
Tracy revealed that Kevin was always kind to small dogs and would occasionally chase cats around the house.
She added that Kevin loved children and apparently enjoyed that Alexandra and Ava were “exactly his height.”
Alexander, who Tracy says 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 who enjoyed playing with 12-year-old Alexander Wolfe and 10-year-old Ava Wolfe.
Alexander had trained Kevin and would participate in obedience classes with him. She showed off his enthusiasm in a June 13 video released by Guinness World Records.
“When we were puppies, we were like, ‘He’s still growing,’ and we were like, ‘That’s the tallest dog I’ve ever seen,'” Tracy said.
That was proven to be the case less than three months ago after Kevin was verified as the world’s tallest dog on March 20.
Kevin claimed the title of world’s tallest dog from Zeus, a Great Dane who died after contracting pneumonia during his battle with cancer in 2023.
Like the Iowa Great Dane, Zeus was three years old when he died.
Zeus stood 3 feet 5 inches before his death and towered over his owners in Texas when he stood on his hind legs.
Kevin’s passing now means Guinness World Records will need to determine which canine is currently the tallest dog in the world.
Daily Mail has contacted Guinness World Records for comment.
