NEWCASTLE, Okla. (KFOR) — When the Pick family, including mom Angela and daughter McKinsley, first brought their 4-year-old Mastiff into the Bella Veterinary Hospital, they were a little concerned.
“We did have a concern,” she recalls. “We took him to a vet when he was younger just to have his dental work looked at.”
Practice Manager Carlin George figured out right away what the problem might be.
“That tongue was a first for me,” she laughs. “For sure.”
His tongue was abnormally long.
They checked Ozzy out, though, and he passed every test.
George continues, “He drinks great. He eats great. So nothing really concerning for us.”
Regular people who got a good look at his mug assumed he might be thirsty, but no.
“Not thirsty, not hungry, he’s not cold,” Angela insists. “He’s more spoiled than my kids are.”
“Does his tongue always hang out?” we ask.
“About 95% of the time, yes,” Angie replies. “He can put it in his mouth. There’s no issue with doing that. He just chooses not to.”
Ozzy wasn’t the pick of the litter, but he grew on the Pick family.
“He’s very nice and goofy,” 7th Grade McKinsley says.
Angela laughs, “I felt like he could look into my soul, honestly. It’s weird.”
Another family member suggested that their dog might taste glory with a tongue that long.
They chewed on an official measurement.
“The tip of his tongue to his mouth is 7.83 inches long,” Pick says.
Then the Guinness World Record staff worked the figures over like an old bone.
Sure enough, Ozzy’s tongue turned out to be a record holder by more than just a bud.
“He broke the record, beating a dog that had a tongue that was 5.6 inches long. So it’s a huge difference.”
The Picks got a plaque proving provenance.
Their dog seems to appreciate the extra attention.
Worries about his health answered, measurements in the books, Angie is proud of her very good boy because of the response he brings when people get a really good taste of Ozzy’s true gift.
“He is an attention hog in every sense,” says Angela. “Whether he’s getting made fun of or he’s brightening someone’s day, it’s nice to see him put a smile on people’s faces.”
For more information on Ozzy’s new world record, click here or here.
The Picks also run a non-profit charity called Pick’s Promises. For more information on their efforts for Christmas, click here.