Meet Mochi: the dog with the longest tongue in the world

St Bernard with 18cm tongue becomes face of ‘Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals’

Mochi an eight-year-old St. Bernard from South Dakota, USA has has entered the Guinness World Record books with a tongue measuring a whopping 7.31 inches in length. Video: Guinness World Records

Mochi 'Mo' Rickert is a dog with a difference. The eight-year-old St Bernard from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has a tongue measuring 18.58cm (7.31in) in length.

She was found in a rescue dog centre in Sioux Falls. Mo smashes the previous record held by a male Pekingese named Puggy whose tongue measured 11.43cm (4.5 in).

Mochi is constantly stopped in the streets by admiring passers-by and is described by her owner Carla Rickert as a "resilient, happy-go-lucky dog, with a big personality".

Mochi is an eight-year-old St Bernard from South Dakota, USA. Photograph: GWR/PA Wire
Mochi is an eight-year-old St Bernard from South Dakota, USA. Photograph: GWR/PA Wire

Having a long tongue has drawbacks. Mochi faces breathing challenges and extra slobber. When she is nervous, dirt, dust and leaves sticks to her tongue and she needs help to pick things up off the floor.

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Treats also have to be given to Mochi in a particular manner as she cannot grab onto them the same way other dogs do.

Mochi is the face of the inaugural Guinness World Records: Amazing Animals book, which has just been published.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times