Family was concerned by pet dog’s unusually long tongue — until the 'Guinness Book of World Records' called
The Pick family always knew their dog Ozzy had a tongue that seemed a little too long for his face, but they never expected that the very feature they worried about would draw national attention. What began as a small concern turned into a special opportunity that changed how they looked at their big 4-year-old French and Bull Mastiff mix. Their dog from Newcastle had caught the attention of Guinness World Records, news that surprised the family as much as it intrigued them. And it all started with one simple trip to the vet.
As reported by FOX 25 on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the story of Ozzy’s record-breaking tongue began about two years ago when Angela Pick’s stepfather noticed how unusually long it was. He suggested the family try for a Guinness World Record, but the first attempt didn’t work. “We took him to a local vet to get him sedated and measured, but when I turned in his application the first time, we got automatically disqualified because you can’t just go take a dog in to be sedated for only a measurement,” Pick explained. The process had to be combined with a normal procedure, which meant the family had to wait until the right opportunity came along. Pick also told KFOR that while the dog’s unique trait is fascinating, it initially worried them. “We did have a concern; we sent him to the vet when he was younger.”
Eventually, Ozzy was neutered, and complications during recovery brought the family closer to Bella SPCA in Oklahoma City. They mentioned the Guinness attempt, and the staff agreed to help. During a routine nail-trimming procedure, the team sedated Ozzy and carefully measured his tongue. According to KFOR, Guinness World Records confirmed that Ozzy’s tongue measured 7.83 inches, surpassing the previous record of 5.64 inches. She remarked, “He is an attention hog, a hundred percent.” She also commented on how the canine has no overall health issues. "Not thirsty, my dog is not hungry, he’s not cold, he’s more spoiled than the kids are." The vet examining Ozzy also confirmed his health status, sharing, "He eats great, he drinks great, so nothing really concerning for us."
Life with such a unique dog, however, comes with challenges and plenty of humor. Pick shared how Ozzy doesn’t gain weight like many dogs his size because he eats slowly, though he still enjoys plenty of food, including pizza and "double cheeseburgers from McDonald's." His long tongue produces a lot of slobber, which means he eats outside to keep the house clean. “You have to clean your house a lot because there is slobber on the walls. He's not allowed to eat inside my house. He's got to go outside and eat because it is worse when he eats,” she revealed. The popular dog now poses for photos for donations, supporting the Pick family’s nonprofit Angel Tree, a holiday gift-giving program for local families in need.