A two-year old Chihuahua from Florida officially becomes the World’s Shortest Dog on Monday, April 10.
The Chihuahua, named Pearl, is quite literally a pocket-sized pooch. According to the Guinness World Record, Pearl measures 9.14 cm (3.59 in) in height.
That means, she is shorter than a popsicle stick and Bisbee’s (the record holder for “Longest Tongue On a Living Dog”) tongue is longer than her.
In length, Pearl measures 12.7 cm (5.0 in), which is about the same size as a dollar bill.
Coincidentally, Pearl is related to the previous record holder, Miracle Milly, who measures 9.65 cm (3.8 in), but passed away in 2020. “Pearl is the daughter of one of Milly’s identical sisters,” wrote the Guinness World Record.
Vanesa Semler, Pearl’s owner and Miracle Milly’s previous owner, said she is blessed to have Pearl in her life, and “to have this unique opportunity to break our own record and share with the world this amazing news.”
Pearl qualified for the title after being measured at the same hospital she was born in: Crystal Creek Animal Hospital in Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Giovanni Vergel, Pearl’s vet, used a dog measuring wicket to accurately measure her height.
Pearl was measured three consecutive times. And to comply with the Guinness World Record rules, each measurement was taken from the base of Pearl’s front leg foot up to the top of her withers, all in a straight vertical line.
Pearl was officially announced as the World’s Shortest Dog at the Lo Show dei Record, Guinness World Records’ Italian TV show.
And even though she is small in size, she has a big personality. Semler told Lo Show dei Record host, Gerry Scotti that Pearl is “a bit of a diva”, loves dressing up and enjoys eating chicken and salmon.