What do Natural Balance pet food, Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks, the Rose Parade, and the Guinness Book of World Records have in common? One massive dog-themed parade float. The longest, heaviest parade float in the world, in fact.

Just how long and heavy? It's 116 feet long and weighs in at more than 100,000 pounds. Why so huge? Because there is a beach and 6,600 gallons of water on board, enabling trained dogs to actually surf waves on the float, with the waves generated by the world's first mobile wave machine. Yes, it's completely ridiculous, but it's also kind of awesome.

So how do you move such an enormous float? With a 362-horsepower, 467-pound-foot 6.8-liter Ford three-valve gasoline V-10 engine, the same unit found in the 2012 Ford F-650 and some E-Series vans and Super Duty chassis cab trucks--and custom gear reducer off the output shaft of the Ford transmission. That's right--the engine and transmission are completely stock units.

That's not all though: one of the surfing dogs will be Tillman, a bulldog already famous for being the world's fastest skateboarding dog. The float is sponsored by Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods, and both Dick and Jimmy Van Patten will help drive the float with the guidance of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle.

So, if you needed a reason to tune in to the Rose Parade, which will cruise down the streets of Pasadena, CA on January 2, now you have it.

Ford-powered Rose Bowl float seeks Guinness World Records: infographic

Ford-powered Rose Bowl float seeks Guinness World Records: infographic