This pooch looks dog tired – but she sure has one thing licked.
For Mochi ‘Mo’ Rickert, an eight-year-old St. Bernard from Sioux Falls in South Dakota, has got tongues wagging after she was crowned the Guinness World Records holder for the longest tongue on a dog.
With her slobbery appendage dangling an impressive 18.58 cm (7.31 in) in length, Mochi is constantly stopped on the street by strangers, some of whom ‘stare and laugh’, her owner says.
But Triuphant Mo doesn’t let the attention get to her, and has smashed the previous record held by a male Pekingese named Puggy whose tongue measured 11.43cm (4.5 in).
Mochi found her new home with the Rickert family when she was two years old, through a rescue organisation for large dogs.
It was ‘love at first sight’, says owner Carla Rickert who drove 11 hours with her daughter to meet Mo before adopting her. Carla describes Mochi as a ‘resilient, happy-go-lucky dog, with a big personality’.
Mo also enjoys dressing up in costumes, having her picture taken, spending time with her family, or snacking on sweet potatoes.
Mochi, a St Bernard from South Dakota, has set the Guinness World Record for the longest tongue of a dog
The eight-year-old dog from Sioux Falls has topped the list for having a seven-inch tongue
But obstacles Mochi faces as a result of her long tongue include breathing challenges, extra slobber when she’s nervous, dirt, dust and leaves sticking to her tongue and needing help to pick things up off the floor.
Treats also have to be given to Mochi in a particular manner as she cannot grab onto them the same way other dogs do.
The ‘humble’ canine’s huge tongue has landed Mo in the Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals book
On Mochi’s achievement, Carla said: ‘It still does not seem real! Mochi is so humble, she never brags or boasts but I know that she is as proud of her new record as we are. It feels truly amazing to be a part of the Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals book! We are so grateful for the opportunity to make other’s smile.’
On announcing the new record title, Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief of the first edition of Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals said: ‘We are very excited to welcome Mochi and her record-breaking tongue to the Guinness World Records family as part of our new publication, Amazing Animals.
The book also features the fastest, largest and tallest record-holders, but it’s Mochi’s tongue that saw her take first place
‘Amazing Animals is not your typical animals’ reference book.
‘Instead, it takes a sideways look at our favourite pets and wild animals, and is a chance for us to celebrate the barking mad side of animal record-breaking.
His tongue is a whopping 18.58cm, but Mochi’s owner described her as humble despite the record-breaking status
‘So alongside the classic fastest, largest and tallest record-holders, you’ll find the most talented, most followed and most pampered creatures on Earth. It’s a hoot!’
A must-read for animal lovers, Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals (£9.99) explores crazy animal stories and fascinating facts from the wild and is available in shops and online now.