Yorkshire Terrier Is the Newest of the Top 12 Pets With World Record Titles [PHOTOS]

All creatures great and small amaze us. But these record-breaking animals of the recently released Guinness Book of World Records 2012 Edition 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

Shortest Working Dog

Guinness announced recently 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

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

Dog with the 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

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.

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

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

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

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

Stewie

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

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

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.)

Oldest Dog Breeds

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.

Also on Vetstreet:

• 6 Great Ways to Use Your Dog's DNA
• World's Ugliest Dog Contest -- Behind the Scenes

Vetstreet.com is a new animal health and lifestyle site dedicated to giving you the most accurate pet information possible, so you can keep your dogs and cats healthy and happy. Our articles are written and reviewed by leading veterinarians, journalists, and animal health experts.