Why Did Zeus The Dog Die

Zeus, the Great Dane with a slobbery mouth who held a world record and the hearts of Michigan residents, has died.

The Kalamazoo Gazette reported today the 165-pound dog died of old age last week. Zeus, considered the worlds largest dog by Guinness World Records, was 5 years old.

Zeus came to the Enquirer newsroom in January 2013 and regularly visited Bronson Battle Creek and area schools. He stood 44 inches at the shoulder and at 7-feet, 4-inches on his hind legs. His owner, Otsego resident Kevin Doorlag, said Zeus ate a 30-pound bag of food every two weeks, and despite his intimidating stature, did nothing more than slobber on strangers.

Zeus, who was set to celebrate his sixth birthday in November, is said to have died last week from symptoms of old age (the average lifespan for the breed is just six to eight years).

Zeus, the Great Dane with a slobbery mouth who held a world record and the hearts of Michigan residents, has died.

Zeus came to the Enquirer newsroom in January 2013 and regularly visited Bronson Battle Creek and area schools. He stood 44 inches at the shoulder and at 7-feet, 4-inches on his hind legs. His owner, Otsego resident Kevin Doorlag, said Zeus ate a 30-pound bag of food every two weeks, and despite his intimidating stature, did nothing more than slobber on strangers.

The Kalamazoo Gazette reported today the 165-pound dog died of old age last week. Zeus, considered the worlds largest dog by Guinness World Records, was 5 years old.

The Kalamazoo Gazette reported Thursday that the 165-pound dog died of old age last week. Zeus, considered the worlds largest dog by Guinness World Records, was 5 years old.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Zeus, the Great Dane with a slobbery mouth who held the record for worlds tallest dog, has died.

“Those are some of the things Ill never forget about him,” Doorlag said. “He was definitely a great dog.”

His owner, Otsego resident Kevin Doorlag, said Zeus ate a 30-pound bag of food every two weeks and despite his intimidating stature did nothing more than slobber on strangers.

Zeus regularly visited area schools and hospitals as a therapy dog. Doorlag said he will also miss seeing the joy Zeus brought to other people.

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Unfortunately, Zeus never made it that far. Let’s remember the dog in his better years, with the Guinness video in which Denise describes their life with Zeus:

When we first wrote about Zeus, commenters were concerned about the dog’s weight, thinking he was too thin. In a follow-up story on irresponsible breeding, Dogster writer Casey Lomonaco said of Zeus: “I see a dog that looks uncomfortable in his own skin. His legs are bow-legged, his toes pointed outward. At three years old, his movement seems awkward and uncomfortable, and I can’t help but wondering how he will move at five, or if he will be able to move at all by the time he’s seven.”

At 44 inches tall at the shoulder and 7 feet, 4 inches on his hind legs, Zeus became the Guinness World Records’ Tallest Living Dog in 2012. Just two years later, he’s gone. According to his owner, he died from old age. Zeus was just five years old.

“Zeus as a very laid-back, gentle personality,” Denise Doorlag told Guinness in 2012 when he won the record. “He gets along very well with our other animals, he gets along well with anybody that we meet in the street — he’s a pet therapy dog, so he’s very comfortable around people and is always very gentle with them.”

FAQ

How did the dog Zeus die?

On September 11, 2014, Zeus’ owner, Kevin Doorlag, announced that he had died on September 3, with symptoms of old age.

Is Zeus the big dog still alive?

Zeus, the world’s tallest dog, is no more. The Great Dane’s owner, Kevin Doorlag, told the Kalamazoo Gazette that Zeus died last week of old age. He would have turned 6 in November. Zeus, who lived in Otsego, Mich., was named the world’s tallest dog by the Guinness World Records in 2012.

How old is the dog Zeus?

He was also approaching the height of the tallest dog ever recorded by Guinness — a Great Dane from Michigan that was 3 feet, 8 inches tall and was also named Zeus. He died at age 5 in 2014.