All creatures great and small amaze us. But these record-breaking animals of the recently released Guinness Book of World Records 2012 Edition (available at bookstores nationwide and on Amazon.com) are truly astounding.

See how your pet measures up to the dog with the longest tongue or the world’s shortest cat. You never know — he might earn a spot in the 2013 edition!

 

Lucy, The World's Shortest Working Dog

Lucy, The World's Shortest Working Dog

Guinness announced last week that 6-inch, 2.5-pound Lucy is the world's shortest working dog. Beside being incredibly cute and tiny, this Yorkshire Terrier is also a therapy dog.

Giant George, the World's Tallest Dog

Giant George, the World's Tallest Dog

Lots of pups have their own dog beds, but 43-inch-tall Giant George has his own queen-size bed. The Great Dane appeared on Oprah, has his own website and Facebook page, and has a memoir coming out this spring. This dog is living large!

Harbor, the Dog With the World's Longest Ears

Harbor, the Dog With the World's Longest Ears

We'll spare you the puns from a certain nursery song about long-eared dogs and instead just give you the facts: Harbor, a Black and Tan Coonhound, earned a spot in the 2012 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records because his left and right ears measure 12.25 inches and 13.5 inches respectively.

Fizz Girl, the World's Shortest Cat

Fizz Girl, the World's Shortest Cat

At only 6 inches tall, Fizz Girl earned the title World's Shortest Cat in the Guinness Book of World Records 2012 Edition. The tiny kitty is a Munchkin, a breed known for its stubby legs, but according to her owner, Fizz Girl's size doesn't stop her from climbing to the highest places in the house.

The Most Dogs Skipping on the Same Rope

The Most Dogs Skipping on the Same Rope

It's hard enough to skip rope with two legs — imagine doing it with four! Uchida Geinousha's Super Wan Wan Circus of Japan achieved a world record when it featured an act of 13 dogs jumping rope at the same time.

Bluey, the Oldest Dog of All Time

Bluey, the Oldest Dog of All Time

Australian Shepherd dogs have an average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years, but Bluey lived twice that long, giving owner Les Hall 29 years and 5 months of companionship, stretching from 1910 to 1939. That makes Bluey the world's oldest living dog of all time.

Puggly, the Dog With the Longest Tongue

Puggly, the Dog With the Longest Tongue

With a tongue measuring 4.5 inches, Puggly, a Pekingese, probably has no trouble slurping water. He's held the drool-worthy record since May 8, 2009, when he was 9 years old.

Largest Dog Litter

Largest Dog Litter

If this dog were a human, she'd have a reality TV show called Tia Plus Twenty-Four. On November 29, 2004, Tia, a Neapolitan Mastiff, gave birth to a record-breaking 24 puppies. (This is not a picture of the prolific mama.) 

Stewie, the World's Longest Cat With the Longest Tail

Stewie, the World's Longest Cat With the Longest Tail

Mymains Stewart "Stewie" Gilligan has two coveted Guinness World Records. His body is 48.5 inches long, and his tail is 16.34 inches long. Something tells us he doesn't fit very well in a cat carrier.

Savannah Islands Trouble, the World's Tallest Cat

Savannah Islands Trouble, the World's Tallest Cat

At 19 inches tall, Savannah Islands Trouble likely gets into all kinds of, well, trouble. The lanky feline earned the Guinness World Record when she was measured at the Silver Cats Cat Show in Reno, Nevada, on October 30, 2011.

Big Splash, the World's Most Expensive Dog

Big Splash, the World's Most Expensive Dog

How much would you spend for a dog? A Chinese multimillionaire paid 10 million Chinese yuan (that's $1,513,417!) for Big Splash, an 11-month-old red Tibetan Mastiff. Big Splash doesn't eat run-of-the-mill kibble, according to Guinness; this pampered pup dines on chicken and beef. (This is not a picture of the spendy dog.)

The World's Oldest Dog Breed

The World's Oldest Dog Breed

Lots of breeds claim to be thousands of years old, but harking back to 329 B.C, the Saluki is indeed the most ancient of domesticated dogs.