Many dogs have huge tongues. The images of a canine, with their tongue draped out of their mouth, whether panting on a hot day or after running around — or slurping up their food, are common sights. However, there’s a dog that has one that’s especially lengthy. Zoey, an adorable canine with a Labrador-German Shepherd mix, recently broke the Guinness World Record for the dog with the longest tongue.
Labrador-German Shepherd honored by Guinness for the world’s longest tongue
If you’re a dog owner, you’ve likely experienced your fluffy buddy racing toward you and giving you a big wet kiss with its slobbery tongue. However, it would be difficult to top what Sadie and Drew Williams, from Metairie, Louisiana, encounter with their dog Zoey.
Measuring 12.7 centimeters (5 inches), her tongue is longer than a soda can. It also extends farther than one from any other canine. Guinness recently honored Zoey with the title of the world’s longest tongue for a living dog.
The competition for the world’s longest canine tongue appears to be heating up, for Zoey broke the record set by another dog only three months earlier. The previous one is from Bisbee, an English Setter — with a length of 9.49 centimeters (3.74 inches). While impressive, Zoey’s tongue easily smashed this record, for its 1.26 inches longer. That’s 33% more slurping power.
Zoey had a long tongue as a puppy — but never grew into it
The Labrador-German Shepherd had a long tongue even as a young puppy. The Williams couple thought that she would eventually grow into it. However, that never happened.
“We got Zoey when she was only six weeks old and in the first-ever picture we have of her, she has her tongue sticking out,” said Sadie. She continued, “We thought surely she’d grow into it but she obviously didn’t. She still has an enormous tongue compared to her body.”
Drew described how the length of the tongue is most apparent after a playful excursion running around outside — with the canine panting. “It would be slobbering all over the place.”
People often commented on the giant appendage. When taking the dog for a walk, they frequently came up to her to get a closer look. Drew explained: “We’ll warn them ahead of time ‘Hey, she’s friendly but she might slobber on you’ and every now and then she will, and they’ll have a big slobber mark on their black pants.”
The canine went to the vet for measurement of the big licker
The pet owners realized that there was something extraordinary about the big licker. “So sometime last year we took her to the vet and measured her tongue,” said Drew. The veterinarian measured from the “tip of her snout to the tip of her tongue.” Soon after, they found out that it was the longest — breaking the Guinness World Record.
Zoey enjoys engaging in a range of activities. This includes outdoor excursions, swimming in the canal, chasing squirrels, fetching balls, and car rides. She especially likes fetching things thrown into a body of water, where she’ll jump in and go swimming. However, she dislikes getting a bath.
The pet owners also added that another favorite activity is undoubtedly “showing off” her very long tongue.
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Header image: Guinness World Records
I’m Mark Putzer, and my passion for animals and all things nature is a life-long love affair. Growing up in Wisconsin, I had many cherished memories of hiking, skiing, and enjoying the abundant wildlife in the Badger State.
My passion for animals led me to marine biology research for my studies at the University of Wisconsin. I researched the behavior and communication of humpback whales around Hawaii and Orca Whales around the San Juan Islands of Washington State. The experience of being close to these massive and magnificent creatures is amazing. Later, I taught outdoor education to children in California — passing along my knowledge of animals and nature to the curious minds of the next generation. I also love pets. This includes a Labrador Retriever dog named “Molly” when I was a kid — and now, an adventurous tabby cat named “Rosy.”
I’m here to share the wonders of the animal kingdom with you. Whether it’s a cherished pet at home or an animal out in the wild, there are many unique stories and interesting information to share on Weird Animal News! Enjoy!
