Gibson, World’s Tallest Dog, Pens Children’s Book

May 8, 2008

GRASS VALLEY, Calif. –- At seven-foot-six inches long when standing on his hind legs, Gibson is the world’s tallest dog, and possibly its best known, but the harlequin Great Dane had far more humble beginnings.

A celebrity who has appeared on national programs like “Oprah,” “The Tonight Show” and “Larry King Live,” Gibson has released a new children’s book, “Gibson Speaks.” Long before being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, though, his mission in life was to help people in need.

“Gibson was destined to be, and still is, he’s a certified therapy dog,” Gibson’s owner, Sandy Hall, told Pet Pulse. “He does wheelchair assistance and he does special needs work. But he did nothing but train and go into practical applications for the first two and a half years of his life.

“We started off with little nursing homes and our hospital here is only two floors. We live in a small community.”

Between television spots and public appearances, Gibson continues to do therapy work, albeit for much larger audiences than before. He has an upcoming appearance at Cedar Sinai Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, and recently got involved with Angel On A Leash, the Westminster Kennel Club’s program that aides children undergoing physical therapy.

“We were just really proud to represent that,” Hall said.

“Gibson Speaks” is the dog’s first book, and yes, he had some help from Hall in writing it. It chronicles Gibson’s exploits, including his encounters with celebrities, from Jay Leno to Paris Hilton, including photos.

“It is a wonderful, delightful adventure for children and adults to read, over and over,” Hall said. “It’s a good read, it’s a fun book. It has Gibson from a baby to currently.

“It has a great array of different adventures that he’s had and is still having.”

At the upcoming Book Expo America at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Gibson will do his first book signing – consisting of paw-to-graphs, of course.

During the expo, once again Gibson will rub elbows with celebrities. Among the others plugging books there will be Al Gore, Michael Moore, Alec Baldwin, Montel Williams and Magic Johnson.

On Friday, May 30, Gibson will be one of just a dozen authors featured in the event’s debut authors section, signing from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hall had a stamp made for Gibson to provide paw-to-graphs.

“I smash his little paw in the stamp, and then there’s a place in the back of the book for paw-to-graphs,” she said. “And then I sign in the front.”

While “Gibson Speaks” details his adventures, just watching Gibson grow was an adventure in itself for Hall.

“At six months old, he was growing so fast,” she said. “He was putting on seven to nine pounds a week for months, and months, and months. It was scary big, scary growing spurt for months.”

Shortly before Gibson was 18 months old, Hall realized he was already as tall as the world’s tallest dog at the time.

“So I said, ‘Well I don’t want to tie the record. I want to beat the record,’” she recalled.

When she’s not busy chaperoning Gibson all over the country, Hall is a breeder, though she has not bred Gibson, who has been neutered.

“Everybody thinks he’s a big stud,” she said, laughing.

Gibson turned six on April 26, and now weighs 180 pounds. Feeding him is yet another adventure.

“Eight to ten cups of dry food a day,” is Gibson’s typical intake, Hall said. “I cook two to two-and-a-half pounds of wet food a day. That’s like chicken, or pork or beef.

“You know, whatever’s on sale, basically.”

That’s right, the world’s tallest dog doesn’t have an endorsement deal with a food company, though he has had them before, and Hall says she hopes to land one again. In fact, she says Gibson doesn’t even make as many TV appearances as it seems because many shows are often repeated in re-runs.

The fact is, Gibson has far more fame than fortune, Hall says.

“I would like Gibson to get really, really busier,” she said. “My main stay here is my breeding program I’ve had gain since the 80’s.

“And if it were not for my breeding program, and selling puppies, and doing stud service and all of the things that go along with the kennel, we’d be out there homeless,” Hall said, laughing.

“The actual next title of my book I want to be ‘Lifestyles of the Poor And Famous,’” she joked.

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