A pair of pooches from America – tallest dog, Reginald, and smallest dog, Pearl – met earlier this month for a unique doggy playdate that truly demonstrates how new friends can come in all shapes and sizes.
Reginald (Reggie), a seven-year-old Great Dane from Idaho, towers over most other dogs – the Guinness World Records title holder for tallest dog living (male) stands at a shocking 3 ft 3 in (1.007 m) from the floor to the withers.
But his new pal, Pearl, a four-year-old Chihuahua from Florida, holds the title for shortest dog living at just 3.59 in (9.14 cm).
And although the height difference between Reggie and Pearl is huge – three feet (91.56 cm), about the same height as a baseball bat or acoustic guitar – their owners found out the two dogs have a lot more in common than one might think.
When Reggie was born, he was the runt of the litter, and his owner Sam immediately fell in love with the tiny, spotted Great Dane puppy. Although they never had big dogs before, there was something appealing about watching the pint-sized pup grow into a massive, loving best friend – only Sam had no idea just how big Reggie would get.
“From the time I got him until he was about, I’d say a year and a half, he just grew, like, just non-stop growth,” they said. “Everybody was like, he’s really tall. We’ve never met another dog that’s taller than him.”
Reggie when he was a puppy
Before they knew it, Reggie bloomed into the tallest living dog (male) – but Sam says he’s still a little puppy at heart.
“Reginald’s personality is deceived by his name,” they said. “It makes him seem more regal or proper, but he’s just a big baby.
“He acts like a human toddler. He’s super playful, very vocal – very much, he’ll tell you what he wants, when he wants it.”
The Johnson family has heard it all when it comes to Reggie’s size – how big are his poops (you don’t want to know), do they have a saddle for him (no), do they ride him (no), does he sleep in their bed with them (surprisingly, yes!).
“I’d say the major advantage to having a really tall dog is I don’t have to bend down to pet him, he’s just right at my arm’s length,” joked Sam. “My face is never dry because it’s always being licked, and my heart is always full because he’s the best part of it.”
Nevertheless, the family does have to change up their routine to accommodate Reggie’s massive size.
He’s so big he can eat off the counters, so they had to teach him to only eat from his bowl – which is raised over two feet off the ground.
He also has his own sink to drink from, and when he’s thirsty, he takes his water straight from the faucet!
And although he can be a bit high-maintenance, Sam trusts his heart of gold, and knows he will always be gentle with those smaller in size.
“Reggie gets along really well with other dogs, and other human beings,” they said, “He loves them a lot.”
So Sam wasn’t worried about introducing him to Pearl, the world’s shortest living dog, who might be shorter in stature but definitely also shares Reggie’s love for being the centre of attention.
“I’m not worried that [Reggie] won’t be careful around Pearl. He’s very, very cautious and aware. I anticipate that he will be really good with her, and probably be more interested in Pearl’s owners than maybe Pearl herself!”
But how could he take his eyes off this tiny face?
Pearl, a pocket-sized pup from Florida, is a true diva.
A furry fashionista from Orlando, the 3.5 in tall Chihuahua is beloved by her owners, the Semler family.
After having health complications in their personal life, the couple’s doctor recommended sharing their love and care with a dog, and wife Vanesa immediately felt a connection with baby Pearl.
“She’s small in size, but she has a big personality!” said Vanesa.
“Some people like me, we can’t have human babies, so [dogs] are a real part of the family, and that is a big deal,” she said. “I strongly believe people who care and love animals, also care and love other human beings.”
And the Semler family truly cares for Pearl – one way you can see that is through her outfits.
This tiny dog has a huge love for fashion – she’s always sporting adorable clothes, sometimes with sunglasses or a hat, and even gets her nails painted!
“Pearl’s wardrobe, I think, is bigger than mine,” said Vanesa. “She loves clothing, I think because she’s always cold.
“She actually chooses what she wants to wear each day, and it’s really funny for me because I can actually see her mood that day.”
And for such a small dog, Vanesa says Pearl is surprisingly vocal – just not in the yappy way, like some other chihuahuas. She describes her personality like a cow, always moaning or snoring, and she loves running up to cameras to silently model for photos.
“She’s really demanding. She’s strong, and opinionated, and she can tell you what she wants.”
But like Reggie, Pearl also is a sweetheart – and Vanesa knows she has no problem meeting bigger dogs because of her big personality.
“When Pearl meets bigger dogs, she is really friendly. I think she has no idea she is a small dog,” she said. “Normally she’s really playful with bigger dogs, she just wants to be around [them].”
So both owners (and their pooches) were looking forward to meeting up with each other for a unique doggy playdate.
To save Reggie the hassle of getting on a plane (imagine), the meetup happened at the Johnson home in Idaho Falls between 4-5 April.
And any anxieties the pair were harbouring about the meetup immediately dissipated after seeing the two dogs sniff each other excitedly and wag their tails upon their first introduction!
“He’s a big dog, right, but he wants to give you kisses!” said Vanesa to Pearl, as she and Sam held their pups and laughed as their dogs hit it right off.
Vanesa and Sam set the pair on the couch together, and Reggie flopped down to meet Pearl’s eye level, at once getting used to the little dog. Pearl happily ran back and forth over Reggie’s giant legs, like he was a big teddy bear.
Just as their owners predicted, Pearl and Reggie became fast friends, and immediately started roaming around the house together.
“It was a really fun and exciting day,” said Vanesa. “He was absolutely adorable, playful like Pearl.”
Once everything was thoroughly sniffed inside, the pair went into the backyard to run around and let off their excited energy.
“I was surprised Pearl wasn’t more afraid of Reggie. But she was so excited and interested in him, and he was just like ‘whoa, I have no idea what that is!’” joked Sam.
Meanwhile, their owners got the chance to chat about the unique experience of owning such differently-sized dogs.
“They have more similarities than differences,” said Sam. “People say ‘only small dogs wear clothing’, but Reggie has a bunch of sweaters he wears… ‘small dogs are high maintenance’, but Reggie is very, very high maintenance. So I think they’re more alike than they are different.”
Vanesa agreed, saying: “They are very similar in a lot of ways. Because he’s a baby!”
“And I just love how Pearl will crawl up on your shoulder and give you love, and makes those little squeaking noises,” said Sam.
“I’m sure [Reggie] would do the same thing, but it’s not like he can, he’s too big!” said Vanesa, laughing.
Once the dogs tuckered themselves out, Sam and Vanesa were able to share another moment just bonding about their love for their animals. The experience was incredibly memorable for them, and they expect the dogs to stay friends forever.
“It’s almost surreal,” said Sam. “I feel like mostly because he doesn’t even know, like he doesn’t have a clue how big of a deal it is or how cool or important it is.
“I think if Reggie gives happiness to any one person, that’ll be great for him, and it’s a really great way for dogs that maybe aren’t going to be here forever – even though he’s going to live forever – but it’s a special way to immortalize them too.”
“You can see through the photos and the videos the love we have for our pets. They are a part of the family,” said Vanesa. “And they are incredible, truly amazing.”
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