Pooch claims world record for dog with longest TONGUE, 5 inches long – longer than a Coke can
Many dog owners enjoy the occasional kiss from their pet.
But a dog’s cuddles are so drooling that you could need a towel or even a quick shower.
Zoey, a three-year-old Labrador/German Shepherd mix from Metairie, Louisiana, has claimed the Guinness World Record for dog with the longest tongue.
Her tongue is a whopping 5 inches (12.7 cm) long, making her longer than a can of Coke.
The new record comes just three months after an English Setter named Bisbee broke the record with a 3.74-inch (9.49 cm) tongue.
Zoey, a three-year-old Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd mix from Metairie, Louisiana, has claimed the Guinness World Record for dog with the longest tongue
Owners Sadie and Drew Williams explained that Zoey’s tongue has been sticking out of her mouth since a young age.
“We got Zoey when she was just six weeks old and the very first picture we have of her has her tongue sticking out,” Sadie said.
“We thought she would definitely grow into it, but she clearly didn’t.
“She still has a huge tongue compared to her body.”
Her huge tongue is especially noticeable after Zoey gasps outside, Drew added.
“It would drool all over,” he said.
“So last year we took her to the vet and measured her tongue.”
To confirm the record, Sadie’s tongue was measured from the tip of her snout to the tip of her tongue.
This revealed a length of five inches (12.7 cm) – slightly longer than a can of Coke, which is 4.8 inches (12.2 cm) long.
Zoey likes to show off her record-breaking tongue, though her fans need a thorough cleaning after approaching her.
“Sometimes when we take her for a walk, people come up and want to pet her,” Drew said.
To confirm the record, Sadie’s tongue was measured from the tip of her snout to the tip of her tongue. This revealed a length of five inches (12.7 cm) – slightly longer than a can of Coke, which is 4.8 inches (12.2 cm) long
Zoey likes to show off her record-breaking tongue, though her fans need a deep cleaning after approaching her
“We’ll warn them in advance, ‘Hey, she’s nice, but she might drool on you’ and every now and then she’ll do that, and then they’ll have a big drool stain on their black pants.”
In addition to licking up food and water, or kissing the owner, the tongue serves as an essential heat regulator for dogs.
When dogs exercise, their tongues enlarge and the increased blood flow tends to make them hang out of the mouth, so when a dog pants, it actually cools the dog’s entire body.
The dog’s rapid, shallow breaths cause moisture on the tongue to evaporate, cooling the tongue, which in turn cools blood flow through the tongue and respiratory system.
Her huge tongue is especially noticeable after Zoey gasps outside, Drew added
Having a longer tongue increases the surface area for this to happen, although sometimes dog tongues get too long to be practical.
Macroglossia is the medical name for the condition in which the tongue is larger than normal – and can interfere with feeding and breathing.
Zoey takes the record from a three-year-old English Setter named Bisbee from Tucson, whose tongue measures 3.74 inches (9.49 cm).
Prior to that, the record holder Mochi, a St. Bernard from Sioux Falls in South Dakota, who had a 7.3-inch-long tongue.