We’ve seen big dogs before, but it’s likely you haven’t seen a mutt quite this big. Lackawanna County, PA has perhaps the greatest Great Dane of them all – Bentley, who some say is the biggest dog in the world.
Bentley, according to WNEP, weighs a whopping 228 pounds and is 38 inches tall, and has to eat more than 100 pounds of food each month (around 30 pounds per week). This might seem unbelievable, until you actually watch the big ol’ mutt chow down on his food, which is rigorously distributed by his owners.
Bob Magliocchi, the owner of Bentley, often talks about how his dog is usually mixed up with larger animals. “You see a lot of people taking their phones out, or ‘Is that a dog?\’ Is that a horse?’ Basically the common reaction is, ‘Is that a horse?\'”
Unfortunately for Bentley, he’s likely a bit too small and rowdy for a saddle, but his size impresses all who see him nonetheless. His family, living in Throop, PA, have had a long history of owning Great Danes, but Bentley breaks the mold with his size and exuberance. Despite his size making their space a little smaller, they can’t help but love him regardless.
Bentley’s status as the largest dog in the world might soon be solidified, as the Magliocchi family are currently working on applications to document him in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest living dog in the world.
The funniest part about Bentley’s large and in charge nature is that, even though he’s more than 200 pounds tall, he still acts like a little lapdog. Bentley’s gentle and exuberant nature defies his size, as he’s always willing to get up, play, and cuddle just like any other dog.
Bentley’s recent attention seeking is a relatively new phenomenon, as his owners didn’t imagine that he would actually have a shot at the world record until he turned 5 this year.
According to Magliocchi, “I think by the vets, they were actually shocked by his size that he was because they said they never saw one his size either… So once they told me, \’Don\’t let him get over 240,\’ I sort of then realized that he is a large one.” After that point, the Magliocchis decided to begin the quest to get him into the record books.
Already, Bentley is a huge hit at parties, with one famous party trick he loves to show off – being able to get ice for himself from the ice maker.
According to the Magliocchis, they will know by the end of the year if Bentley will qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records. In the meantime, they are biding their time and seeing just how everything turns out before they plan any parties. Magliocchi admitted, “maybe we’ll get him a cake,” but likely won’t plan anything extravagant. Besides, all Bentley really cares about is the love and attention of those around him.
Image credit: WGNTV