LONDON: Balthazar, a towering seven-foot long pooch weighing 95 kg, the same as a baby elephant, could be crowned as the UK's heaviest dog, according to media reports.
The five-year-old Blue Great Dane who lives in Gedling, Nottingham in England with his owners Vinnie, 46, Dixie Monte-Irvine, 39, and their three children, eats 30kg of food a month.
They were shocked to find on a trip to the vets this week that he weighed over 95 kg (15stones 6lb), three stone heavier than the world's tallest dog, the metro.co.uk reported.
"He is a big dog and we were told from when he was a lot smaller that he was always quite heavy for his age," Vinnie said.
"He isn't a fat dog though as you can still see his ribs. We took him to the vets as he has a poorly leg and he needed to be weighed to see how much medication he can take. After he was weighed everyone at the surgery was gobsmacked and we were all just Googling to see if he was actually the world's heaviest living dog," he said.
The family's other dog, 15-year-old Patterdale Terrier Fifi, has become a surrogate mum to Balthazar who the family got when he was just six-weeks-old.
Despite his size Vinnie said Balthazar is a gentle giant who likes to play with their children and is best friends with the family's three pet cats.
"He is a calm dog and he mostly likes to just sit around with our cats, Vinnie said.
"We have to buy him special dog beds online and he regularly eats them. He lives in the kitchen which thankfully is a big kitchen but it can make a cooking a challenge at times, she said.
The Guinness World Records do not keep a record for the heaviest dog due to animal welfare reasons. While not Britain's tallest dog - that crown goes to an 8ft Great Dane in Swansea - experts believe he is the country's heaviest.
Last summer a three-year-old Great Dane called Major was in the running to be crowned the world's tallest dog.
The giant dog, who lives with owners Brian and Julie Williams in Penmaen near Swansea, South Wales, stands at a whopping eight-feet tall on his hind legs. But he only weighs 12 stone which is three stone less than Balthazar.