Bisbee the English Setter probably isn’t a pooch you’d want “doggy kisses” from.
That’s because the Tucson, Arizona, USA, pup has quite a long doggone tongue!
Measuring 3.74 inches (9.49 cm), the three-year-old pup’s tongue is longer than a popsicle stick, making it the longest tongue on a living dog.
For this record, a dog’s tongue is measured from the tip of the snout. The dog must have its tongue out of its snout as far as comfortably possible, when a qualified vet will then measure from the tip up to where it is first visible out of the snout.
Jay and Ericka Johnson first met Bisbee as a puppy at a “charitable auction” where he was being auctioned off to raise money for a charity.
“When we saw him, we fell in love with him,” said Jay.
“So, he went home with us that night.”
It didn’t take long before the Johnsons noticed there was something a bit different about Bisbee.
“He just looked really disproportionate,” said Ericka.
“He looked funny when he panted.” – Ericka Johnson
Although Bisbee’s tongue is quite the mouthful, it isn’t very noticeable until he opens his muzzle.
“When he’s exercising, his tongue comes out quite aways and my wife said that’s excessively long,” said Jay.
“I thought it was relatively normal, but she took it upon herself to prove me wrong and had his tongue measured and lo and behold he’s got a long, long tongue.” – Jay Johnson
Ericka says it was once she sent a picture of Bisbee panting to her dad and sister that she realised her pup may have a record-breaking tongue.
“I sent a picture of him panting to my sister and my dad, and I think one of them mentioned that it could be a world record,” said Ericka.
So, Ericka measured her four-legged friend’s tongue to see just how long it really was.
Bisbee’s tongue was measured during a previously scheduled procedure where he would be anesthetised.
“I tried to measure it while he was panting, and I was not getting a really accurate measurement, but he had to actually be sedated for some hip x-rays,” said Ericka.
“So, when he was asleep for that, that’s when I actually measured it.”
But there’s more to the pooch than just his supersized tongue.
In fact, the Johnsons say Bisbee’s personality is as large as his licks.
Jay says Bisbee has an amazing disposition and is the most amazing dog he’s ever owned.
“He’s borderline separation anxiety,” said Jay.
“He loves to follow you around, he loves to know what you’re doing, and he loves to cuddle.” – Jay Johnson
When he isn’t tailing behind his beloved owners, Bisbee spends his time chasing city workers.
“He does like to bark at the UPS and Amazon guy, so we’re trying to get him to bark less at deliveries,” said Jay.
Some of Bisbee’s favourite pastimes include retrieving birds, swimming, and chasing yellowjackets around his yard.
“He catches them [the yellowjackets], and they sting him,” said Jay.
“Then he spits them out, and then he keeps going after them.” – Jay Johnson
Although Bisbee also likes going on daily walks, he sometimes is not able to go as often as he’d like due to hip dysplasia.
However, during the summer he replaces those walks with plenty of time in the pool.
The Johnsons are both proud of their beloved Bisbee’s record-breaking accomplishment and feel it’s a comical title for him to hold.
Still, despite the pooch’s quirks and oddly unique tongue, the Johnsons couldn’t be prouder to be a part of their furry friend’s life.
“We feel we were lucky to get him, and he was lucky to get us.” – Jay Johnson
Before Bisbee claimed his record, a St. Bernard named Mochi from Sioux Falls, South, Dakota, USA, held the title for the longest tongue on a living dog with a licker measuring a whopping 7.31 in (18.58 cm).