In Normal, Rocky has made a name for himself with his impressively long tongue, which has earned him a spot in the record books as the dog with the longest tongue. His owners, Crystal Williams, were surprised by the attention their pet received for his unique feature. “We always knew his tongue was long, but it wasn’t until strangers started pointing it out that we realized just how extraordinary it was,” said Williams. Rocky’s tongue has become a talking point wherever he goes, and he’s always ready to give out a big, slobbery kiss to anyone who wants one.
Williams was unaware of the world record for the longest tongue on a living dog until she saw Mochi, the previous record-holder, on a TV program. When she learned of Mochi’s passing earlier this year, she felt sad but also thought that this could be Rocky’s chance. Upon hearing that the new record was between three and four inches, she realized they had a shot at it and decided to investigate further. Williams found the application process for Guinness to be challenging, especially the extensive documentation required. She carefully reviewed everything to ensure they didn’t miss out on this opportunity for Rocky in the future.
A few months later, Guinness finally approved Williams’ application, and he began preparing for the measurement process. “After speaking with the vet, he informed me that we would be measuring a tongue, and that’s when things really started to get interesting. We gathered witnesses, videographers, and photographers for the event,” Williams explained.
Guinness World Records provided detailed guidelines to veterinarian Dr. Bernard Bleem on measuring Rocky’s tongue. The procedure required putting Rocky to sleep in order to safely and accurately stretch out his tongue. The measurement was taken from the tip of Rocky’s nose to the very end of his tongue.
According to the Guinness World Records, Rocky’s tongue was measured at 13.883 centimeters. Dr. Bleem commented, “It was 140 millimeters. I mean, it’s quite long. Rocky is such an amazing dog, he truly deserves this recognition.” Williams also shared, “It has been such a joyful experience. It’s just hilarious to look at too, like oh my gosh, just look at his tongue!”
