World's Tallest and Smallest Dogs Meet Up for a Playdate

Last month, a pair of pooches from America, the world’s tallest and smallest dog, met up for a playdate. 

Reginald, a seven-year-old Great Dane from Idaho, and Pearl, a four-year-old chihuahua from Florida, are both Guinness World Record holders. 

Reggie is the tallest male dog in the world, measuring 3 ft 3 in (1.007 m) at the withers. But his new best friend Pearl holds the title of the world’s smallest dog, standing at just 3.59 in (9.14 cm). Pearl comes from a long line of short dogs. Her aunt Milly, a previous record holder in the same category, was also under 4 inches tall.

Guinness arranged the two-day meetup between Pearl and Reginald at his home in Idaho Falls as part of its 70th-anniversary festivities. 

Pearl’s owner, Vanesa Sempler, held the world’s smallest pooch while Reggie sniffed her for the first time. Even though Pearl loves dogs, even bigger ones, Sempler admitted she was anxious because of Reggie’s size.

“For me, (it) was a huge, pleasant surprise from day one because Reggie is like Pearl, in a bigger size. He is so gentle, so friendly,” she said. 

While Reggie was friendly and gentle towards Pearl, his perplexity about her tiny size was obvious. 

“He was like very cautious, like a little anxious,” said Reggie’s owner, Sam Johnson Reiss. “He was very careful, like he didn’t step on her or anything, or anything crazy. He was just very aware that she was there.”

Once the pooches sniffed one another, they began to explore the house together and then went out into the backyard to run around. 

It’s hard to believe that Reggie was the runt of the litter, but that hasn’t stopped Sam from falling in love with the tiny, spotted Great Dane puppy. Sam, who had never owned a big dog before, enjoyed watching Reggie grow from a pint-sized puppy to a loving, gentle giant. 

“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. Everybody was like, he’s really tall. We’ve never met another dog that’s taller than him,” said Sam. 

Although Reggie is the tallest living male dog in the world, he’s still a puppy at heart. “Reginald’s personality is deceived by his name. It makes him seem more regal or proper, but he’s just a big baby.” 

Despite the huge size difference, Pearl and Reggie have a lot in common. “They have more similarities than differences,” said Sam, and Vanesa agreed, saying: “They are very similar in a lot of ways. Because he’s a 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.” Vanesa said Pearl is the same. “She’s really demanding. She’s strong and opinionated, and she can tell you what she wants.”

There might have been a bit of possessiveness over toys and beds, but Reggie and Pearl had a great time during their two-day meetup. 

“I think she found a good friend,” said Vanesa. 

Once the dogs were tired from playing, Vanesa and Sam shared another moment bonding about their love for their pups. While it’s unclear whether Pearl and Reggie will meet again, their owners expect them to stay friends forever.

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