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Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog
In 2006, Dave and Christie Nasser welcomed a Great Dane puppy into their lives - the runt of a litter of thirteen who won over the hearts of his new owners with his soulful blue eyes. They named him George and he swiftly changed their lives. In February 2010 George was officially crowned tallest dog ever by the Guinness Book of World Records. Standing at almost five feet tall and seven feet long, George has come to dominate the Nassers' home. He has grown from a quivering misfit into a goofy giant - eager to play with everyone and boisterous to the point of causing chaos. Yet George is a big softie - a gentle giant frightened of water, of dogs a fraction of his size, and of being left alone.
This is the full heart-warming story of Dave and Christie's life with George - his likes and dislikes, his diet, habits and quirks. It's also the story of their love for each other, of their struggle to start a family and of how they've had to adapt their home to accommodate their extraordinary pet. With appearances on Oprah, and George gaining worldwide attention, it's now time to tell the full story of what it's like to be the owners of the biggest dog in the world.
This is the full heart-warming story of Dave and Christie's life with George - his likes and dislikes, his diet, habits and quirks. It's also the story of their love for each other, of their struggle to start a family and of how they've had to adapt their home to accommodate their extraordinary pet. With appearances on Oprah, and George gaining worldwide attention, it's now time to tell the full story of what it's like to be the owners of the biggest dog in the world.
361 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
February 17, 2012
A warning: my review of this book is definitely biased as I am a crazy dog lady beyond anything you've ever imagined. I was madly in love with Marley and Me and Red Dog and my shelves are littered with photographic dog books, dog quote books, short dog stories, hero dog tales, dogs and war, dog training books and dog psychology guides. When I saw Giant George on the shelf, I was immediately $25 poorer and bounced off home to add it to my collection. Now that I've finished it, I can say it was as delightful as I expected. These types of books tend to be prone to terrible writing and painful dialogue, sometimes lacking a plot or purpose, but I found myself flying through it in a few short hours. George is so mild-mannered and so full of personality and his owners are truly smitten with him. And, thankfully, it is a story unlike Marley's in that George is still alive! Happy endings, hooray.
If you love dogs, love pet stories or just need a really light, happy biography about a truly horse-sized gentle giant, this book is for you.
If you love dogs, love pet stories or just need a really light, happy biography about a truly horse-sized gentle giant, this book is for you.
February 19, 2019
Just an ordinary couple shopping for a queen-sized mattress . . .
"Fine. We'll take it."
"Certainly, sir," he said. "Have you decided on a box spring and bed frame to go with that?"
"We don't need either, thanks," Christie told him. "Just the mattress."
"Just the mattress?" He looked deflated now.
"Just the mattress," I repeated.
"You sure you folks don't want---"
I shook my head firmly. "We only need the mattress. It's not for us." I explained. "It's for our dog."
His eyes bulged. "For your dog?"
Yup. That's right. When George the Great Dane was only nine months old, he outgrew his single-size mattress dog bed. He weighed 147 pounds.
Here's the story of how the runt of the litter grew to be a 250 pound behemoth, and not only the biggest dog in the world, but the biggest dog EVER!
George and his owner, Dave Nasser
Basically, this is just another book about the horrors and joys of raising a puppy to adulthood . . . only this puppy is really, REALLY big. The earlier chapters were the best; especially George's difficulties fitting in at the dog park. He was too big to play with the other puppies, but bullied by the adult dogs. Awwww!
Big paws, big heart
Dog lovers should be utterly charmed by this book.
"Fine. We'll take it."
"Certainly, sir," he said. "Have you decided on a box spring and bed frame to go with that?"
"We don't need either, thanks," Christie told him. "Just the mattress."
"Just the mattress?" He looked deflated now.
"Just the mattress," I repeated.
"You sure you folks don't want---"
I shook my head firmly. "We only need the mattress. It's not for us." I explained. "It's for our dog."
His eyes bulged. "For your dog?"
Yup. That's right. When George the Great Dane was only nine months old, he outgrew his single-size mattress dog bed. He weighed 147 pounds.
Here's the story of how the runt of the litter grew to be a 250 pound behemoth, and not only the biggest dog in the world, but the biggest dog EVER!
George and his owner, Dave Nasser
Basically, this is just another book about the horrors and joys of raising a puppy to adulthood . . . only this puppy is really, REALLY big. The earlier chapters were the best; especially George's difficulties fitting in at the dog park. He was too big to play with the other puppies, but bullied by the adult dogs. Awwww!
Big paws, big heart
Dog lovers should be utterly charmed by this book.
May 26, 2022
Review originally published February 2013
Dave and Christie were your average couple in their mid-thirties. Married less than a year, they decided they wanted to make a change and move from California to Dave’s hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Christie wasn’t as excited as Dave was; she loved living in California and it was where she grew up.
Eventually they both decided Arizona was where they wanted to lay down their roots, and Christie agreed on one condition; since they would be buying a house and would have a yard she wanted a dog. Dave agreed to this even though he wasn’t the dog lover Christie was. Little did he know this decision would change their lives forever!
Dave’s job was finding them a house since that was his field of expertise (he was a realtor that bought and remodeled houses to sell). Christie’s job was finding the perfect puppy, which she tackled with gusto even before they started packing to move. She knew she wanted a big dog, and after doing all her research decided a Great Dane was the dog for them.
Danes are great family dogs and quiet, and they don’t bark or shed a lot. They also aren’t a very destructive dog, which really got Dave on board with the breed. The only problem, as is with many specific breeds, was finding one.
By the time they moved to Tucson, they still hadn’t found a puppy or a house. They decided to rent until they found the right house, and Christie hadn’t given up on her search for a puppy even though they couldn’t have pets in their apartment. Eventually, she found an ad from a breeder in Oregon, and after talking with the breeder and seeing pictures of the puppies, fell in love with one that was standing off to the side alone and was the runt of the litter and a beautiful blue color.
Dave made the call to the breeder to get information and was told by the breeder how big mom and dad were. Mom was one hundred and sixty and dad was two hundred. Dave kind of dismissed this information thinking, "Well Great Danes and are supposed to be big, right?"
He had no idea what was in store for them!
The plans were set in motion, and before they knew it they were on their way to the airport to pick up their new puppy.
Giant George: Life With the World’s Biggest Dog by Dave Nasser tells the journey Christie and Dave went on, in unknowingly getting a puppy who would one day end up in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s biggest dog.
This book is a great read! It’s funny, sad, and heartwarming. It not only tells the tale of dealing with an extremely large and fast growing puppy who just short of nine months old weighed one hundred forty seven pounds, it tells the story of Dave and Christie going through some personal trauma while trying to get pregnant.
When I saw this book, I remembered seeing the dog on Oprah a few years back, and it’s interesting to read how that all came about.
This story proves how dogs can wiggle their ways into our homes and become one of our most loved family members. If you’re a dog owner you know exactly what I’m talking about!
Be sure to stop in and visit the La Crosse County Library with branches in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem and check out our website at lacrossecountylibrary.org for all your library needs.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Dave and Christie were your average couple in their mid-thirties. Married less than a year, they decided they wanted to make a change and move from California to Dave’s hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Christie wasn’t as excited as Dave was; she loved living in California and it was where she grew up.
Eventually they both decided Arizona was where they wanted to lay down their roots, and Christie agreed on one condition; since they would be buying a house and would have a yard she wanted a dog. Dave agreed to this even though he wasn’t the dog lover Christie was. Little did he know this decision would change their lives forever!
Dave’s job was finding them a house since that was his field of expertise (he was a realtor that bought and remodeled houses to sell). Christie’s job was finding the perfect puppy, which she tackled with gusto even before they started packing to move. She knew she wanted a big dog, and after doing all her research decided a Great Dane was the dog for them.
Danes are great family dogs and quiet, and they don’t bark or shed a lot. They also aren’t a very destructive dog, which really got Dave on board with the breed. The only problem, as is with many specific breeds, was finding one.
By the time they moved to Tucson, they still hadn’t found a puppy or a house. They decided to rent until they found the right house, and Christie hadn’t given up on her search for a puppy even though they couldn’t have pets in their apartment. Eventually, she found an ad from a breeder in Oregon, and after talking with the breeder and seeing pictures of the puppies, fell in love with one that was standing off to the side alone and was the runt of the litter and a beautiful blue color.
Dave made the call to the breeder to get information and was told by the breeder how big mom and dad were. Mom was one hundred and sixty and dad was two hundred. Dave kind of dismissed this information thinking, "Well Great Danes and are supposed to be big, right?"
He had no idea what was in store for them!
The plans were set in motion, and before they knew it they were on their way to the airport to pick up their new puppy.
Giant George: Life With the World’s Biggest Dog by Dave Nasser tells the journey Christie and Dave went on, in unknowingly getting a puppy who would one day end up in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s biggest dog.
This book is a great read! It’s funny, sad, and heartwarming. It not only tells the tale of dealing with an extremely large and fast growing puppy who just short of nine months old weighed one hundred forty seven pounds, it tells the story of Dave and Christie going through some personal trauma while trying to get pregnant.
When I saw this book, I remembered seeing the dog on Oprah a few years back, and it’s interesting to read how that all came about.
This story proves how dogs can wiggle their ways into our homes and become one of our most loved family members. If you’re a dog owner you know exactly what I’m talking about!
Be sure to stop in and visit the La Crosse County Library with branches in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem and check out our website at lacrossecountylibrary.org for all your library needs.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
March 4, 2012
Story Description:
With his big blue eyes and soulful expression, George was the irresistible runt of the litter. But Dave and Christie Nasser's "baby" ended up being almost five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. Eager to play, and boisterous to the point of causing chaos, this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size and, most of all, scared of being alone.
GIANT GEORGE is the charming story of how this precocious puppy won Dave and Christie's hearts and along the way became a doggie superstar. In 2010, George was named by Guinness World Records as the Tallest Dog in the World-ever. He appeared on Oprah, and even has his own global fan club. But to Dave and Christie, this extraordinary animal is still their beloved pet, the one who has made them laugh, made them cry, and continues to make them incredibly happy.
My Review:
Dave and Christie Nasser wanted a Great Dane puppy but soon realized that there weren’t any Great Dane pups in their area of Tucson, Arizona. As a matter of fact, there weren’t any in all of Arizona, period. Christie perused newspapers from their old homestead in California and found an ad placed by a woman in Oregon. After calling the woman, she emailed them photos of the entire litter of 13 puppies. Twelve of the pups were all huddled together but one was standing alone by himself. He was the “runt” of the litter but was also the “perfect colour” – blue! Not only was his fur blue but so were his enormous eyes. Dave and Christie immediately asked the woman to email a larger photo of this particular pup and they instantly fell in love. They made arrangements to fly the Great Dane puppy from Oregon to Phoenix, plus shelled out $1,750 for the pup. The flight was two hours and the poor 17 pound puppy arrived in his crate, terrified.
On the way to the airport, Dave and Christie had settled on calling the newest member of their family, George. Christie didn’t have the heart to put George back in his crate for the ride home after a terrifying ride in the hold of the plane in the dark, so she allowed George to lie in her lap instead.
After a sleepless evening the first night home, the Nasser’s learned quickly that George didn’t like sleeping in his crate alone in the kitchen. The second night they moved George’s crate into their bedroom where he was much happier.
Dave and Christie never dreamed George would grow to be so big, as a matter of fact, he is now the “world’s biggest dog – ever!” At 14 weeks of age he already weighed an incredible 34 pounds. At 5 months, George weighed as much as a fully grown Labrador. He appeared to be growing at a phenomenal rate of “one pound per day.” (Great Dane “Adult” males usually grow to around 150 pounds). By 9 months of age he weighed a whopping 147 pounds and still had two years of growing to do.
In August 2006, George had hit doggy “puberty”, he was a “teenager” and became “rambunctious, moody, and almost psycho”. George had discovered his “manhood” and began to hump everyone and anything in site!
I loved that Dave Nasser made a point of saying: “..you knew when George liked you…his displays of affection could have you pinned temporarily against a wall or a piece of furniture”. It was: “George’s version of a bear hug”.
This is an endearing, heartwarming true story. It will make you laugh-out-loud and you’ll be clambering for more and more. Don’t miss this exceptional story of a dog who grew to be 245 pounds and whose heart is as big as the open sky!
You can also check out Giant George’s own website at:
http://www.giantgeorge.com/home.html
THANK YOU to NET GALLEY for the preview copy.
With his big blue eyes and soulful expression, George was the irresistible runt of the litter. But Dave and Christie Nasser's "baby" ended up being almost five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. Eager to play, and boisterous to the point of causing chaos, this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size and, most of all, scared of being alone.
GIANT GEORGE is the charming story of how this precocious puppy won Dave and Christie's hearts and along the way became a doggie superstar. In 2010, George was named by Guinness World Records as the Tallest Dog in the World-ever. He appeared on Oprah, and even has his own global fan club. But to Dave and Christie, this extraordinary animal is still their beloved pet, the one who has made them laugh, made them cry, and continues to make them incredibly happy.
My Review:
Dave and Christie Nasser wanted a Great Dane puppy but soon realized that there weren’t any Great Dane pups in their area of Tucson, Arizona. As a matter of fact, there weren’t any in all of Arizona, period. Christie perused newspapers from their old homestead in California and found an ad placed by a woman in Oregon. After calling the woman, she emailed them photos of the entire litter of 13 puppies. Twelve of the pups were all huddled together but one was standing alone by himself. He was the “runt” of the litter but was also the “perfect colour” – blue! Not only was his fur blue but so were his enormous eyes. Dave and Christie immediately asked the woman to email a larger photo of this particular pup and they instantly fell in love. They made arrangements to fly the Great Dane puppy from Oregon to Phoenix, plus shelled out $1,750 for the pup. The flight was two hours and the poor 17 pound puppy arrived in his crate, terrified.
On the way to the airport, Dave and Christie had settled on calling the newest member of their family, George. Christie didn’t have the heart to put George back in his crate for the ride home after a terrifying ride in the hold of the plane in the dark, so she allowed George to lie in her lap instead.
After a sleepless evening the first night home, the Nasser’s learned quickly that George didn’t like sleeping in his crate alone in the kitchen. The second night they moved George’s crate into their bedroom where he was much happier.
Dave and Christie never dreamed George would grow to be so big, as a matter of fact, he is now the “world’s biggest dog – ever!” At 14 weeks of age he already weighed an incredible 34 pounds. At 5 months, George weighed as much as a fully grown Labrador. He appeared to be growing at a phenomenal rate of “one pound per day.” (Great Dane “Adult” males usually grow to around 150 pounds). By 9 months of age he weighed a whopping 147 pounds and still had two years of growing to do.
In August 2006, George had hit doggy “puberty”, he was a “teenager” and became “rambunctious, moody, and almost psycho”. George had discovered his “manhood” and began to hump everyone and anything in site!
I loved that Dave Nasser made a point of saying: “..you knew when George liked you…his displays of affection could have you pinned temporarily against a wall or a piece of furniture”. It was: “George’s version of a bear hug”.
This is an endearing, heartwarming true story. It will make you laugh-out-loud and you’ll be clambering for more and more. Don’t miss this exceptional story of a dog who grew to be 245 pounds and whose heart is as big as the open sky!
You can also check out Giant George’s own website at:
http://www.giantgeorge.com/home.html
THANK YOU to NET GALLEY for the preview copy.
June 7, 2012
Without a doubt this book belongs to Giant George. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could, because George absolutely is a star. My first thought when I saw the book was - Marmaduke! No doubt I would read about the various people he knocks over (in love of course), things his tail swipes off tables and the physical challenges in dealing with a dog that stands and weighs more than you. The only question I asked my hubby (who bought the book) was 'does he die', because as much as I loved Marley and me, I wasn't feeling upto dealing with pet loss again. I was pleasantly surprised on both counts.
The first part of the book unravels in a distinct Marley & me way. There seems to be a certain life formula at work here. Thirtyish, more-or-less-financially-settled couple, choosing a puppy, training the puppy, getting trained by the puppy(!), learning to be pet parents, life challenges with starting a human family, constant support of said pet in these challenges and finally becoming a complete family - dog, kids, dream house et al. And I completely relate to it because this is exactly how my life has been enfolding in the last few years. So it tugs the heart strings. And checks the right boxes. And the marmaduke-y bit wasn't overdone at all, in fact, George's personality shone through all on his own. I loved it!
The second part of the story (well its not really sectioned, but thats how it felt when I read it) is about his becoming a celebrity, from applying for the Guinness Record, to Oprah. And while this second part set it apart from M&m, the actual story telling moved from a heart warming family story to chronicles of a rising star. And that is where I felt a bit let-down. Not with the story itself, but the way it was told. It felt more like a series of blog posts than a continuous story. I know this might be nit-picky ... but the flow felt like a lovely smooth lift to crest of a wave and then suddenly deposited bouncingly on a shingly beach as we moved from anecdote to anecdote.
I think this book needs tighter editing in the later sections, but I would still recommend it as a fun read. Read it for the heart warming story of a big-hearted dog. Read it for George. Because he is worth it.
The first part of the book unravels in a distinct Marley & me way. There seems to be a certain life formula at work here. Thirtyish, more-or-less-financially-settled couple, choosing a puppy, training the puppy, getting trained by the puppy(!), learning to be pet parents, life challenges with starting a human family, constant support of said pet in these challenges and finally becoming a complete family - dog, kids, dream house et al. And I completely relate to it because this is exactly how my life has been enfolding in the last few years. So it tugs the heart strings. And checks the right boxes. And the marmaduke-y bit wasn't overdone at all, in fact, George's personality shone through all on his own. I loved it!
The second part of the story (well its not really sectioned, but thats how it felt when I read it) is about his becoming a celebrity, from applying for the Guinness Record, to Oprah. And while this second part set it apart from M&m, the actual story telling moved from a heart warming family story to chronicles of a rising star. And that is where I felt a bit let-down. Not with the story itself, but the way it was told. It felt more like a series of blog posts than a continuous story. I know this might be nit-picky ... but the flow felt like a lovely smooth lift to crest of a wave and then suddenly deposited bouncingly on a shingly beach as we moved from anecdote to anecdote.
I think this book needs tighter editing in the later sections, but I would still recommend it as a fun read. Read it for the heart warming story of a big-hearted dog. Read it for George. Because he is worth it.
March 11, 2018
Oh, how I love fur babies, and this is one gigantic fur baby! Born the runt of the litter, George ended up being nearly 5 feet tall, 7 feet long, and 245 pounds.
He became a star in his own right, and even appeared on Oprah. A gentle and loving giant, George's heart is as big as he is. In 2010, the Guiness Book of World Records gave him the title of World's Tallest Dog.
George is also a bit of a coward - afraid of being alone, and afraid of dogs much, much smaller than he is.
Fall in love with George - I guarantee you will!!
He became a star in his own right, and even appeared on Oprah. A gentle and loving giant, George's heart is as big as he is. In 2010, the Guiness Book of World Records gave him the title of World's Tallest Dog.
George is also a bit of a coward - afraid of being alone, and afraid of dogs much, much smaller than he is.
Fall in love with George - I guarantee you will!!
September 3, 2012
I really enjoyed this book - it was a fun book! I love Giant George and loved hearing his story. Who would have thought it took so much to be star? I couldn't believe that people tried to sabotage him in order to get the Guinness title for their own dogs...you can't pick on George! His parents obviously love him and I love how he is a valued member of the family!
June 11, 2019
For my last good reads review I chose Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog by Dave Nasser. It was a very easy read but not boring.
You usually hear about bigger dogs like pitbulls having a bad or aggressive reputation. I've never heard this with great danes, but throughout this book the reader is able to explore the irony of a 'gentle giant'. George was a very playful and friendly dog that was loving towards both his owners. It amazed me to read about how George was growing before his owner's eyes, they say it was as if "he'd go to sleep one size and wake up the next day a whole lot bigger"(52). While Dave and Christine faced extremely rough times trying to create a family, George was there to distract and comfort them. Yes, the book was about the astonishing size of George, but it was also about Dave and Christine's experiences with him and how he was such a great dog. I enjoyed learning about their lives, even though they weren't a fictional character or famous. Its nice to hear of life stories that are more real and like most people's.
Overall, Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog was great book.
You usually hear about bigger dogs like pitbulls having a bad or aggressive reputation. I've never heard this with great danes, but throughout this book the reader is able to explore the irony of a 'gentle giant'. George was a very playful and friendly dog that was loving towards both his owners. It amazed me to read about how George was growing before his owner's eyes, they say it was as if "he'd go to sleep one size and wake up the next day a whole lot bigger"(52). While Dave and Christine faced extremely rough times trying to create a family, George was there to distract and comfort them. Yes, the book was about the astonishing size of George, but it was also about Dave and Christine's experiences with him and how he was such a great dog. I enjoyed learning about their lives, even though they weren't a fictional character or famous. Its nice to hear of life stories that are more real and like most people's.
Overall, Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog was great book.
March 27, 2020
3.5 stars
George was the runt of his litter, a Great Dane who came home with Dave and Christie when he was only 7 weeks old. By the time he was fully grown, though, he was almost 250 lbs! (Almost 100 lbs larger than the average adult Great Dane!) He was also very friendly and loved people. George eventually made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest dog.
This was a good story. He’s a sweet dog. There are photos included, as well.
George was the runt of his litter, a Great Dane who came home with Dave and Christie when he was only 7 weeks old. By the time he was fully grown, though, he was almost 250 lbs! (Almost 100 lbs larger than the average adult Great Dane!) He was also very friendly and loved people. George eventually made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest dog.
This was a good story. He’s a sweet dog. There are photos included, as well.
April 13, 2023
Fun read about a huge Great Dane. George was the tallest dog in the world from 2010-2012. Bigger dogs have come about since George. This is a family story of young marrieds that want a puppy, large breed. As family dogs do, George took over. He was famous, on Oprah, and through it all he remained humble. He loved the attention and chicken!
November 15, 2020
A fun story.
June 17, 2019
It was a lighthearted, quick read.
May 12, 2012
I enjoyed this book, and found it to be a real page-turner. Somehow, I'd completely missed all of the "Giant George" buzz in recent years. This book only came under my radar when I saw it listed on a current recommended reading list in one of the many dog magazines to which I subscribe.
I only have two disgruntled gripes about Giant George. The first is my usual complaint about how every autobiographical dog memoir our there seems to begin with folks who get a dog and have no clue what to do with it. Think about it. How many dog books have you read where a person skilled in dealing with dogs gets a dog and absolute chaos ensues? Aren't there any? Not likely, because folks that know what they're doing right off avoid all of the entertaining material, I suppose.
The second is regarding Christie, George's "mom". As the one who wanted George, I found her seeming lack of interaction and participation frustrating. In a way, one could summarize the story as "Waa, waa, waa. I want a dog. If you're going to make me move to a new place, then I want a dog. You, however, have the better schedule for dog-rearing, though, and as such, you'll be his primary caregiver. I'll only be there for the good stuff, the fun parts. You are in charge of all of his upkeep. And, oh, by the way, I should warn you ahead of time that when I want a baby, you, whom I've foisted "my" dog on are going to get chewed out when I'm a tired, overwrought new mom and decide you're spending too much time on the dog that I dumped on you and not helping with the baby enough."
I realize that last bit is a quite common rant of new mothers everywhere, and perfectly normal, but it sure was irritating to read it coming from the one who insisted upon George so strongly in the first place. The whole book was "Here, you take him to the vet. You clean up after him. YOU train him. YOU decide how to best contain him. No, don't go with me to the doctor visits, I don't want you there. Ok, NOW you're spending all of your time with the dog instead of with your family."
Like I said, every new mother feels like that about something at some point in the beginning but she could have at least realized her role in creating that situation. Especially since Dave handled it all so well, giving her what she wanted at every turn and all.
I know there are two sides to every story, but lately every dog autobiography I read written by a male seems to unintentionally present the female in the relationship as the anti-dog half of the marriage. Being a female reader (and a dog person), those women and their actions really get on my nerves.
Happily for George, his life has not been a bad one, and he is loved and wanted and belongs just where he is.
I only have two disgruntled gripes about Giant George. The first is my usual complaint about how every autobiographical dog memoir our there seems to begin with folks who get a dog and have no clue what to do with it. Think about it. How many dog books have you read where a person skilled in dealing with dogs gets a dog and absolute chaos ensues? Aren't there any? Not likely, because folks that know what they're doing right off avoid all of the entertaining material, I suppose.
The second is regarding Christie, George's "mom". As the one who wanted George, I found her seeming lack of interaction and participation frustrating. In a way, one could summarize the story as "Waa, waa, waa. I want a dog. If you're going to make me move to a new place, then I want a dog. You, however, have the better schedule for dog-rearing, though, and as such, you'll be his primary caregiver. I'll only be there for the good stuff, the fun parts. You are in charge of all of his upkeep. And, oh, by the way, I should warn you ahead of time that when I want a baby, you, whom I've foisted "my" dog on are going to get chewed out when I'm a tired, overwrought new mom and decide you're spending too much time on the dog that I dumped on you and not helping with the baby enough."
I realize that last bit is a quite common rant of new mothers everywhere, and perfectly normal, but it sure was irritating to read it coming from the one who insisted upon George so strongly in the first place. The whole book was "Here, you take him to the vet. You clean up after him. YOU train him. YOU decide how to best contain him. No, don't go with me to the doctor visits, I don't want you there. Ok, NOW you're spending all of your time with the dog instead of with your family."
Like I said, every new mother feels like that about something at some point in the beginning but she could have at least realized her role in creating that situation. Especially since Dave handled it all so well, giving her what she wanted at every turn and all.
I know there are two sides to every story, but lately every dog autobiography I read written by a male seems to unintentionally present the female in the relationship as the anti-dog half of the marriage. Being a female reader (and a dog person), those women and their actions really get on my nerves.
Happily for George, his life has not been a bad one, and he is loved and wanted and belongs just where he is.
April 21, 2012
This was another fun, light read, with the feel of an extended magazine article rather than a serious biography. But then, how do you really write a serious biography about a dog?
Even a 43" tall, 245 lb dog.
No, really, you read that right. This dog weighs more than I do right now, and I'm still classed as obese (working on it!). Guinness has officially awarded him the twin titles of "Tallest Dog" and "Tallest Dog Ever". Giant George puts the "great" in Great Dane- and I'm betting he outweighs a great many Danes to boot.
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Why yes, they DO have a saddle for that thing...
This is the tale of a reluctant dog owner who helps his wife choose a puppy and finds himself living with this gentle giant, toting the drool towels and snow-shovel pooper-scooper. On the side note it's interesting to read about how a weekend project can snowball wildly out of control. How a "happy hour" weekend project went from a straightforward Guinness record attempt to a spot on Oprah, celebrity appearances and over 100K Facebook fans.
Great for chasing away the blues, and the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life. Especially the one who'll give up their king sized bed to the dog.
Even a 43" tall, 245 lb dog.
No, really, you read that right. This dog weighs more than I do right now, and I'm still classed as obese (working on it!). Guinness has officially awarded him the twin titles of "Tallest Dog" and "Tallest Dog Ever". Giant George puts the "great" in Great Dane- and I'm betting he outweighs a great many Danes to boot.
[image error]
Why yes, they DO have a saddle for that thing...
This is the tale of a reluctant dog owner who helps his wife choose a puppy and finds himself living with this gentle giant, toting the drool towels and snow-shovel pooper-scooper. On the side note it's interesting to read about how a weekend project can snowball wildly out of control. How a "happy hour" weekend project went from a straightforward Guinness record attempt to a spot on Oprah, celebrity appearances and over 100K Facebook fans.
Great for chasing away the blues, and the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life. Especially the one who'll give up their king sized bed to the dog.
October 2, 2012
Giant George is an unprecedented seven feet long, almost five feet tall (at 43”), and almost 250 pounds. The Guiness Book of World Records has acknowledged him as the world’s tallest dog. It wasn’t always this way for George. He started as the smallest in his litter, even called “the runt”, when he was born in 2005.
Relocating back to his native Arizona, Dave Nasser promised his new bride Christie a puppy. It was initially a bribe of sorts. After the huge costs of the big Great Dane puppy and his super-sized supplies, Dave almost reconsidered. However, after “paws for thought”, they realized not only was George rapidly growing, so was their love for him.
Giant George has appeared on TV shows, YouTube videos, and is on Facebook. This is truly a wonderful story full of love and devotion between a dog and his people. This is how it is supposed to be.
Relocating back to his native Arizona, Dave Nasser promised his new bride Christie a puppy. It was initially a bribe of sorts. After the huge costs of the big Great Dane puppy and his super-sized supplies, Dave almost reconsidered. However, after “paws for thought”, they realized not only was George rapidly growing, so was their love for him.
Giant George has appeared on TV shows, YouTube videos, and is on Facebook. This is truly a wonderful story full of love and devotion between a dog and his people. This is how it is supposed to be.
June 8, 2012
A pleasantly-told, lightly charming dog story. The writing is basic (and maybe needed one more edit - at one point his wife pushes her sunglasses on top of her head, then in the next sentence pushes them down her nose & peers over them - strangely active sunglass-wearing), but the story of George's becoming part of the family and getting ever larger had some fun anecdotes.
The quest to get him into the Guinness book struck me as a very competitive-male thing to do (the same way some birders don't just keep life lists, they try to have a Big Year), but Nasser maintained enough charm and humility to keep me reading. The book ends abruptly after the big Oprah appearance - I wouldn't have minded a little more of George learning to appreciate the new children in his life.
The quest to get him into the Guinness book struck me as a very competitive-male thing to do (the same way some birders don't just keep life lists, they try to have a Big Year), but Nasser maintained enough charm and humility to keep me reading. The book ends abruptly after the big Oprah appearance - I wouldn't have minded a little more of George learning to appreciate the new children in his life.
October 18, 2016
The writing was so bad that I couldn't finish this book. Nasser's observations about dog ownership are banal (his supposed guilt over snipping off his dog's "manhood" made me simultaneously roll my eyes and yawn). Again, I can't say enough about how terrible the writing was - at times, it's nearly incomprehensible. How this guy managed to get a book deal is beyond me.
May 31, 2012
I loved this book...having heard of George and seeing him on the internet I just couldn't resist buying this one. What a face! What a dog! What a cute story. And he's still alive by the end of the book...huge plus!
May 3, 2012
I thought this book was suppose to be about a dog not about some guy with ZERO personality. I'm really wanted to hear cute stories about the pup growing up, his personality ect. Sorry but after chapter seven u had to put it down bc it went no where
May 24, 2012
I first heard about Giant George on a Today show segment. Even though George is a Great Dane, "great" doesn't even begin to cover his size and personality. His human, Dave Nasser, has written a light and enjoyable read about the highs and lows of owning such a large and famous dog.
July 10, 2012
Fun book that any dog lover would enjoy :)
August 20, 2012
This book made me thankful our mini poodle weighs only 16 pounds.
September 12, 2013
I loved this book. What a wonderful dog and a great true story. I couldn't put this book down, I read it in under 3 hours. Great book for any dog lover.
September 3, 2014
Appropriate for: age 12+
You will like this book if you like: Dogs, animals, biographies
I actually found the author a bit preachy but loved the whole story
You will like this book if you like: Dogs, animals, biographies
I actually found the author a bit preachy but loved the whole story
October 17, 2017
This book is a highly recommended read (cautionary tale, as far as amount of food and care and cleanup they need) for anyone considering getting a Great Dane of their own.
Picked this book up because I love dogs and love reading happy dog stories. It was a cute recounting of the life and eventual worldwide fame of the author's enormous Great Dane, George, who ultimately made the Guinness Book of World Records as "tallest dog". I was surprised that they didn't also have him in additional categories such as "tallest dog on hind legs" and/or "heaviest non-overweight dog"; there wasn't any discussion of this in the book so I don't know if they tried or not or if those are even categories.
The story starts with an ad to sell George, which is disturbing - normally breeders want dogs back that don't work out for the initial purchaser. So this was off-putting. Plus I don't personally advocate buying a dog to begin with - #adoptDontShop, to save lives - but in the case of very unusual animals (they were specifically looking for a Great Dane, preferably a blue one), it might be necessary to look for a breeder. I don't like the idea of shipping a very young puppy (7 weeks, according to the author, and the puppy really should have stayed with mom for 8 weeks) solo to from a breeder to its new owner. I don't like that they didn't go to meet George's parents - or mom, at least - and the breeder in person. Also don't like that they got George well before having a place where they were allowed to keep a pet - it's better to have the place first, then take in an animal. But it is what it is.
After that, it seems like they waited an unusually long time to get George his puppy shots and to start training him (months in both cases), though I haven't had a young puppy myself (we've adopted older dogs) so maybe this isn't unusual. They also waited a really long time to get him fixed (until George was around 9 months).
Animal welfare advice and mores are changing over time, and the author and his wife got George some ten years before this review. Hopefully they'll do some of these things a bit differently with their next dog (if they haven't already).
On the (very) positive side, the author and his family clearly adored and took very good care of George, at least once he settled in (I'm referring here to the author's puppy-for-sale ad). They went to great lengths to make him comfortable at all sizes, which a lot of pet owners don't try to do. They fed him well and played with him a ton. They socialized him very well. They tried to be judicious about making George fit in at the local dog park. The stories of George's reach (food off of counters) and other habits (like greeting visitors) were amusing. George, like my dog, doesn't like to swim, so that was funny. He sounds like a super awesome dog. I really enjoyed reading about their trip to Chicago and everything it took to get George there.
Won't get a Great Dane personally, as I despise dog drool, but they are generally very nice (my dogs and I have met several in our neighborhood over the years, and our current dog plays a little with one or two GDs who live near us). George, like my previous dog, has (had) the upped risk of a twisted stomach. Ours sadly died from that very thing - well, from complications after surgery to fix it. I didn't know there was such an operation as the author describes, to staple the stomach to something else. Sounds extreme, but I haven't looked into its usefulness or potential side effects.
PS to those planning to have kids read this book: there are two main tragedies in the book, but they are non-violent and are not because of George. On the contrary, these are natural life events that had sad endings and that happen to many people. If anything - as the author says - George helped the family's healing process. Depending on the ages of the kids, though, you might want to summarize or skip over parts of that section. Ultimately there was a happy conclusion after these events.
Picked this book up because I love dogs and love reading happy dog stories. It was a cute recounting of the life and eventual worldwide fame of the author's enormous Great Dane, George, who ultimately made the Guinness Book of World Records as "tallest dog". I was surprised that they didn't also have him in additional categories such as "tallest dog on hind legs" and/or "heaviest non-overweight dog"; there wasn't any discussion of this in the book so I don't know if they tried or not or if those are even categories.
The story starts with an ad to sell George, which is disturbing - normally breeders want dogs back that don't work out for the initial purchaser. So this was off-putting. Plus I don't personally advocate buying a dog to begin with - #adoptDontShop, to save lives - but in the case of very unusual animals (they were specifically looking for a Great Dane, preferably a blue one), it might be necessary to look for a breeder. I don't like the idea of shipping a very young puppy (7 weeks, according to the author, and the puppy really should have stayed with mom for 8 weeks) solo to from a breeder to its new owner. I don't like that they didn't go to meet George's parents - or mom, at least - and the breeder in person. Also don't like that they got George well before having a place where they were allowed to keep a pet - it's better to have the place first, then take in an animal. But it is what it is.
After that, it seems like they waited an unusually long time to get George his puppy shots and to start training him (months in both cases), though I haven't had a young puppy myself (we've adopted older dogs) so maybe this isn't unusual. They also waited a really long time to get him fixed (until George was around 9 months).
Animal welfare advice and mores are changing over time, and the author and his wife got George some ten years before this review. Hopefully they'll do some of these things a bit differently with their next dog (if they haven't already).
On the (very) positive side, the author and his family clearly adored and took very good care of George, at least once he settled in (I'm referring here to the author's puppy-for-sale ad). They went to great lengths to make him comfortable at all sizes, which a lot of pet owners don't try to do. They fed him well and played with him a ton. They socialized him very well. They tried to be judicious about making George fit in at the local dog park. The stories of George's reach (food off of counters) and other habits (like greeting visitors) were amusing. George, like my dog, doesn't like to swim, so that was funny. He sounds like a super awesome dog. I really enjoyed reading about their trip to Chicago and everything it took to get George there.
Won't get a Great Dane personally, as I despise dog drool, but they are generally very nice (my dogs and I have met several in our neighborhood over the years, and our current dog plays a little with one or two GDs who live near us). George, like my previous dog, has (had) the upped risk of a twisted stomach. Ours sadly died from that very thing - well, from complications after surgery to fix it. I didn't know there was such an operation as the author describes, to staple the stomach to something else. Sounds extreme, but I haven't looked into its usefulness or potential side effects.
PS to those planning to have kids read this book: there are two main tragedies in the book, but they are non-violent and are not because of George. On the contrary, these are natural life events that had sad endings and that happen to many people. If anything - as the author says - George helped the family's healing process. Depending on the ages of the kids, though, you might want to summarize or skip over parts of that section. Ultimately there was a happy conclusion after these events.
January 15, 2020
This was a relatively quick read, tracing the story of the world’s tallest dog, Giant George, from his family’s decision to get a dog, through his puppyhood and into adulthood. Overall, the focus is on George, though there is quite a bit on author Dave Nasser and his wife, Christie’s, struggle to have a child, some of which is heart wrenching.
I don’t think Nasser is a natural storyteller. They were approached by publishers to write this book, and it achieves what it states—describing life with this huge Great Dane. But it tends to focus primarily on facts, and those facts are relatively limiting. Being big, he can reach food on the counters and requires a very big mattress to sleep on. You can’t physically make him do anything. People are intimidated by him. Without the natural gift of storytelling, there are only a few specific incidents, and more well-told anecdotes could have made this book shine. There’s also a tendency for the text to get redundant to fill up the pages. As George becomes famous, it’s stated over and over that he’s just a dog and part of the family.
The second half of the book gets so focused on George as celebrity, doing media and such, that it wasn’t nearly as engaging. There’s also a let down as several chapters build to his appearance on Oprah, but the actual show is described as a “blur” and is covered in about 1 page. It’s in this second half that the book increasingly feels more like a carefully crafted piece of marketing than an insightful and engaging story. I imagine there’s a degree of wanting to protect both George’s reputation and their privacy at play, which I respect, and maybe there isn’t much of interest to write at that point, but the content feels stretched.
Another factor is that Dave Nasser doesn’t seem to be a natural dog lover. He was reluctant to get a dog at all, and it’s his wife Christie who wanted a puppy and seems to have the closest bond. That isn’t to say that Dave didn’t seem a caring owner who grew to love George, but a lot of the emotional bond is described second hand as being Christie’s rather than being shown through the author’s first hand perspective. It seems Christie has little interest or involvement in making George a celebrity—she had also just had a baby when all of this began. Almost all of the photos are of Dave, usually in the background with George in the foreground, using forced perspective to enhance George’s size even more.
The other thing that struck me was how much the internet and social media has grown, as social media numbers (they celebrate 1,000 Facebook followers!) seem modest relative to what is seen today.
Overall, as someone who loves fiction and a well told story, I wish this book had more anecdotes, but it just gives the impression that a George is a regular dog who is generally very well behaved, and happens to be larger than normal.
I don’t think Nasser is a natural storyteller. They were approached by publishers to write this book, and it achieves what it states—describing life with this huge Great Dane. But it tends to focus primarily on facts, and those facts are relatively limiting. Being big, he can reach food on the counters and requires a very big mattress to sleep on. You can’t physically make him do anything. People are intimidated by him. Without the natural gift of storytelling, there are only a few specific incidents, and more well-told anecdotes could have made this book shine. There’s also a tendency for the text to get redundant to fill up the pages. As George becomes famous, it’s stated over and over that he’s just a dog and part of the family.
The second half of the book gets so focused on George as celebrity, doing media and such, that it wasn’t nearly as engaging. There’s also a let down as several chapters build to his appearance on Oprah, but the actual show is described as a “blur” and is covered in about 1 page. It’s in this second half that the book increasingly feels more like a carefully crafted piece of marketing than an insightful and engaging story. I imagine there’s a degree of wanting to protect both George’s reputation and their privacy at play, which I respect, and maybe there isn’t much of interest to write at that point, but the content feels stretched.
Another factor is that Dave Nasser doesn’t seem to be a natural dog lover. He was reluctant to get a dog at all, and it’s his wife Christie who wanted a puppy and seems to have the closest bond. That isn’t to say that Dave didn’t seem a caring owner who grew to love George, but a lot of the emotional bond is described second hand as being Christie’s rather than being shown through the author’s first hand perspective. It seems Christie has little interest or involvement in making George a celebrity—she had also just had a baby when all of this began. Almost all of the photos are of Dave, usually in the background with George in the foreground, using forced perspective to enhance George’s size even more.
The other thing that struck me was how much the internet and social media has grown, as social media numbers (they celebrate 1,000 Facebook followers!) seem modest relative to what is seen today.
Overall, as someone who loves fiction and a well told story, I wish this book had more anecdotes, but it just gives the impression that a George is a regular dog who is generally very well behaved, and happens to be larger than normal.
March 25, 2020
You have to applaud a family that is willing to adopt a big dog even when it's still a cute bundle of fluff. Bigger than usual but how much larger is it going to get. For Dave and Christine Nasser, their puppy grew. . . and grew . . . and grew. Out of the largest crate available on the market. Out and over the edges of the single mattress they used for his bed. Grew so tall at forty-three inches at the shoulder - and weighty at 245 pounds that gentle George grabbed the Guinness World Record of World's Tallest Dog and World's Tallest Dog Ever.
Dave also goes into the difficulties they experienced when Christine became pregnant only to lose the child twice. It was the third time which allowed the happy family to become one more with their daughter Annabel.
Dave also goes into the work - and enthusiasm of some friends that gave George his own Facebook page and webpage as they were working to win the Guinness titles. Then getting George to the Oprah show in Chicago from their home in Tucson, Arizona.
Overall, a rather feel good story about a big, gentle dog and the family he was part of. Although I don't think it was intentional, some of Dave Nasser's writing came across as being - well, henpecked. Christine wanted the puppy and she got it although they were living in an apartment with a no dogs policy. It seemed that Dave was the one to feed, water, walk, take the dog to the dog park, clean up after him, take him to the vet as well as his work site and Christine - although this was the dog she wanted - didn't participate except when she wanted to. Like the dog park birthday party. She was enthusiastic about going for the record until she realized she was not getting the assistance from her husband in regards to their daughter which is completely understandable.
Like, I said, I don't think it was intentional.
2020-058
Dave also goes into the difficulties they experienced when Christine became pregnant only to lose the child twice. It was the third time which allowed the happy family to become one more with their daughter Annabel.
Dave also goes into the work - and enthusiasm of some friends that gave George his own Facebook page and webpage as they were working to win the Guinness titles. Then getting George to the Oprah show in Chicago from their home in Tucson, Arizona.
Overall, a rather feel good story about a big, gentle dog and the family he was part of. Although I don't think it was intentional, some of Dave Nasser's writing came across as being - well, henpecked. Christine wanted the puppy and she got it although they were living in an apartment with a no dogs policy. It seemed that Dave was the one to feed, water, walk, take the dog to the dog park, clean up after him, take him to the vet as well as his work site and Christine - although this was the dog she wanted - didn't participate except when she wanted to. Like the dog park birthday party. She was enthusiastic about going for the record until she realized she was not getting the assistance from her husband in regards to their daughter which is completely understandable.
Like, I said, I don't think it was intentional.
2020-058
June 8, 2019
Cute little story of a couple who plainly got more than they thought when they got George. It's a bit of a pity they had him fixed as once he was certified the world's largest dog I bet his stud fees would have been impressive, but if they didn't want to be breeders and his being unfixed was causing problems, it was definitely best for everyone.
Living in an apartment, even if they were planning to move out I think they might have wanted to consider a smaller breed--they certainly had trouble with how fast and large George grew!
Reading this in 2019 I'm not surprised to hear he passed away as the larger breed dogs live shorter lives. George sounds like he was the world's largest lap dog from all descriptions.
Living in an apartment, even if they were planning to move out I think they might have wanted to consider a smaller breed--they certainly had trouble with how fast and large George grew!
Reading this in 2019 I'm not surprised to hear he passed away as the larger breed dogs live shorter lives. George sounds like he was the world's largest lap dog from all descriptions.
December 15, 2017
Giant George is the charming story of how this precocious puppy won Dave and Christie's hearts and along the way became a doggie superstar.George grew fast, incredibly fast. In fact, he grew so fast that he quickly outgrew the largest dog crate they could buy. George was the runt of the litter, Dave and Christie Nasser's “puppy” ended up being five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. He loved to play but despite his size he was scared of a few things in life like for example water, other dogs, and most of all being alone.
October 6, 2017
"The mom is one hundred and sixty pounds, and the dad is two hundred."
And in an incredible feat of not really listening to what she was telling me (Why did that even matter? Great Danes were big dogs, weren't they?), I took this in and then completely forgot about it [...]
p. 11
...George was padding in small circles in the dirt, stopping only to bend his neck to sniff the odd weed or to peer thoughtfully into the middle distance.
p. 88
And in an incredible feat of not really listening to what she was telling me (Why did that even matter? Great Danes were big dogs, weren't they?), I took this in and then completely forgot about it [...]
p. 11
...George was padding in small circles in the dirt, stopping only to bend his neck to sniff the odd weed or to peer thoughtfully into the middle distance.
p. 88
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