Kevin, the tallest male dog in the world and a Great Dane, passed away shortly after Guinness World Records (GWR) announced his title on Monday, June 25.
As per CNN, the 3-year-old record holder fell ill and underwent an unplanned surgery, leading to his untimely death.
Kevin's family, from West Des Moines, Iowa, is devastated by the loss.
"He was just the best giant boy," said his owner Tracy Wolfe in a GWR press release.
Kevin measured 0.97 meters (3 feet 2 inches) tall from his feet to his withers, the area above his shoulders.
When he stood on his hind paws, he reached about 2.13 meters (7 feet), towering over his owner Roger Wolfe.
Despite his size, Kevin was known as the "epitome of a gentle giant" and was actually scared of most things, including the measuring tape used to verify his record and the vacuum cleaner.
At his first training class with Tracy and Roger’s 12-year-old son, Alexander, Kevin was so scared that he pooped in the middle of the class.
"I don’t think he’s aware he is as big as he is," Tracy said.
She added, "He’s continuously trying to squeeze into small beds and sit on top of us like smaller dogs do."
Kevin's favorite activity was napping, and he ate six to 10 cups of food daily, sometimes stealing food from the kitchen counters.
Tracy described him as "funny and super duper friendly," warning that his tongue and tail could be overwhelming for those around him.
The family brought Kevin home as a puppy, naming him after the character Kevin from the movie Home Alone.
Kevin took over the title of the world's tallest male dog from another Great Dane, Zeus, who also died at age three from bone cancer.
Moreover, Great Danes typically have shorter life expectancies compared to smaller dogs, living an average of 8-10 years.
