Two weeks after Guinness gave a chihuahua mix the oldest dog title, Bobi shattered the record. He took the crown from the Chihuahua, Spike, by a mile. Bobi is now the world’s oldest canine, according to Guinness World Records.
The New Oldest Dog in the World
Bobi is a Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed used to guard property and livestock. The breed usually lives between 12 and 14 years. A lot of luck and a lot of love kept this particular dog alive for three times as long as the average canine.
Bobi was born in the rural village of Conqueiros, Portugal, as one of four male puppies in 1992. At the time, his family already had many animals and decided to bury the pups since they wouldn’t be able to take care of them.
Luckily, Bobi survived, and he still lives with his family today in the same woodshed where he was born. He has never been chained up or attached to a leash. He spent his entire life roaming freely through the forest and farmland near their home.
His owners attribute his longevity to his diet of unseasoned human food. He always soaks their food in water to remove most of the seasonings. His 3-decade life is also thanks to his free-roaming lifestyle and the calm countryside in which he grew up.
He also believes the love and affection he’s received from his family has helped. Although he still loves to go on walks, age has taken its toll on Bobi. His fur is thinning, his eyesight is deteriorating, and he needs to rest more than he used to.
He’s doing well overall, and Costa hopes he can father some puppies of his own one day. Guinness’s verification was backed up by the veterinary services of the municipality of Leiria.
In addition to the Sistema de Informação de Animais de Companhia, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government, it is managed by the Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários, the country’s national union of veterinarians. The previous record-holder, a cattle dog named Bluey, died in November 1939 at the age of 29 years and 5 months.
