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A record-breaking Great Dane named Kevin, who could stretch to 7 feet on his hind legs but was terrified of vacuum cleaners, has died, his owners have said.
Owners Tracy and Roger Wolfe, of Iowa, said in a statement published Monday on the Guinness Book of World Records website that their family was “devastated.”
In March, Guinness certified Kevin as the tallest male dog in the world, measuring 3 feet, 2 inches from his feet to his shoulders — the average height of a 3-year-old child.
Guinness said it was “saddened” by the news. He was, his owners said, “just the best giant boy.”
Kevin — named after Macaulay Culkin’s character in “Home Alone” — died after he fell ill and underwent unplanned surgery. He was 3 years old.
“We are so glad that he was able to break the record and have that light on him. He absolutely adored the attention,” the Wolfes’ statement said.
Kevin grabbed the record from Zeus, another Great Dane from the U.S., who measured 3 feet, 5.1 inches and also died at age 3 last year.
“I wish these giant breeds, and all dogs, could live longer than they do. It’s never enough time,” the family’s statement added.
Tracy Wolfe, who works at a veterinary clinic, told the Guinness website this month that despite his size, Kevin was scared of many things and wouldn’t go within 6 feet of a vacuum cleaner.
“I don’t think he’s aware he is as big as he is. He’s continuously trying to squeeze into small beds and sit on top of us, and do everything that the smaller dogs do,” she told the site.
A spokesperson for Guinness World Records said: “We are deeply saddened to learn that Kevin suddenly passed away after unexpected health complications.”
Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.
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