A Great Dane who found international fame when he was named the tallest living male dog in the world has died at the age of eight. Gentle giant Freddy, who stood at over 7ft tall on his back legs, became somebody when he landed the gong from Guinness World Records in 2016.
The beloved pet, who was the runt of the litter when he was born before growing to his massive size, spent his life with owner Claire Stoneman from Essex. She said of the 15-stone animal: 'He wasn't just the tallest dog but the dog with the foremost love and then the biggest heart.
'He was my life. My reason. My joy. My annoyance. My happiness and my ultimate sadness. He is the Danish in my heart. My one during a million and loved by the whole world.' 'As a puppy, he was the runt of the litter. I got him a few of weeks before I should have, as he wasn't feeding off [his] mum.
'I had no idea he was getting to get this big in the least .' Last year, she arranged a celebration complete with bunting, balloons and cakes in the garden of her home for her pet to celebrate his birthday. Freddy was officially measured at 3 ft 4 in as Guinness World Records doesn't measure dogs on their hind legs. His monthly food bill, which consisted of kibble, minced beef, roast chicken and treats had set Claire back £500.
Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said: 'Freddy was such a mild giant, and it had been always a pleasure to find out him bounding towards you. 'Measuring this mountain of a dog was an unforgettable - if challenging - experience and I'll always treasure the few occasions I need to share a settee with him - there was almost enough room for the 2 of us! 'I still can barely believe that he was the runt of the litter. Freddy brought a smile to everyone's face and can be missed by everyone at Guinness World Records. 'I'm just pleased that we got the prospect to celebrate his record-breaking immensity in the books and share his story with many people around the world. 'RIP, Freddy.'
The Guinness World Records title holder for tallest dog ever was Zeus from Otsego, Michigan, USA who measured 3ft 6ins in 2011.