Meet The World's Shortest Dog – 3.59 Inches Tall
Timothy Roberts
It's always interesting when a dog captures a world record. Some do it by catching Frisbees, and others, by running fast.
Then there's Pearl the Chihuahua. She has received a Guinness world record for being the "shortest dog living."
Photo: I'm sure that we've all seen small dogs before, but Pearl is only about as big as a one-dollar bill. She weighs 1.22 pounds and stands 3.59 inches tall.
Her owner, Vanessa Semler, says they are blessed to have her. According to Guinness, they describe her as being similar to a ball and a little bigger than a teacup. She also says that Pearl is somewhat of a diva.
As a diva, Pearl enjoys dressing up in nice clothes. They also have a lot of fun together, including going out on the town for a shopping trip.
Photo: Pearl was born in Orlando, Florida, in September 2020. She weighed less than an ounce at birth but has grown, thanks to her diet of salmon and chicken.
Her veterinarian, Dr. Giovanni Vergel, gave her the official measurements. The exact height was calculated using a dog-measuring wicket. Pearl was measured three times for confirmation.
The rules of Guinness are to take measurements in straight vertical lines from the bottom of the front leg foot to the top of the withers.
Photo: When it comes to short statures, Pearl comes by her record naturally. Before she snagged the record, her aunt Millie held it at 3.80 inches. Millie died earlier in 2020, before Pearl's birth.
On average, chihuahuas weigh around 6 pounds. They are a small breed, but Pearl is much smaller.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Zeus, who lives with his human, Brittany Davis. Zeus was huge since he was a puppy, and he holds the record of the biggest dog, standing at the height of 3 foot 5.18 inches.
