Zeus the dog - The adorable Great Dane from Otsego, Michigan who held the 2013 Guinness World Record for the being the tallest pup, had died at age 5.
Measuring at 44 inches tall and 7-foot-4 when he stood on his hind legs, Zeus the dog was a "gentle giant" according to his owner Kevin Doorlag who works as a veterinary technician.
Doorlag's family reportedly got Zeus when the 165-pound Great Dane was just 8 weeks old.
"We got him from this couple that had had a litter ... and we went and looked at him and fell in love with him," Doorlag told ABC News.
Zeus the dog's remarkable size reportedly made him a local celebrity in the Kalamazoo area. He was a true therapy dog frequently visiting local schools and hospitals.
"He'd sit on people's laps. I loved to see people's reactions when he'd sit down," Doorlag said of his pet Zeus the dog. "He just seemed to want to make people smile and happy and ... he was just a very sweet dog."
Doorlag's wife, Denise, told Guinness in 2012 that people would often ask if Zeus was a dog or a horse and where his saddle was.
Zeus the dog died last week from old age, FOX News reported. He would have turned 6 this November, Doorlag said.
Doorlag told ABC News he was overwhelmed how many people appreciated his pet and how many people's lives Zeus the dog had affected. "I was surprised at how many people just, like, reached out to him and how many people's, I think, lives he's touched when we're doing pet therapy. It was just very overwhelming and I loved that about him."
Zeus the dog will always be remembered by the Doorlags and the people whose lives he touched.
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