sorry tip There’s a New World’s Oldest Living Dog — and It’s the Oldest Recorded — Boston News, Weather, Sports
(CNN) – That was just two weeks ago Top, a 23-year-old Chihuahua mix from Ohio, was named the oldest living dog. Now he has been finally dethroned.
At the age of 30 years and 268 days, Bobi was crowned the oldest living dog in the world – and the oldest dog that ever lived – by Guinness World Records (GWR).
The Portuguese purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo — a breed of livestock guardian dog — has lived to double its life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, according to a statement by GWR.
In doing so, the pooch, who has spent his entire life with the Costa family in the village of Conqueiros in Leiria, western Portugal, has broken an almost hundred-year-old record held by Australian cattle dog Bluey, who lived for 29 and 5 months between 1910 and 1939.
Whilst another Australian bitch, Chilla, was believed to have lived to be 32 years 3 days old after her death on 8th March 1983, this has not been officially confirmed. Bobi’s age has been verified by the Municipal Veterinary Service of Leiria and SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government.
Owner Leonel Costa, who was just 8 years old when Bobi was born on May 11, 1992, said in the statement: “Bobi has been a warrior all these years, only he knows how he’s persevered, it doesn’t have to be easy because the life expectancy of an average dog is not that long and if it would just talk it could explain this success.”
The Costa family is used to long-lived dogs. According to a post on the GWR website, Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived to be 18, and another family dog, Chicote, lived to be 22. Costa, who still hopes Bobi could one day father puppies of his own, said he never considered registering him as the oldest dog ever when he competed for the title of oldest living dog.
“We see situations like this as a normal outcome of their lives, but Bobi is one of a kind,” he said in the statement.
Best kept secret
But Bobi almost never got beyond infancy. When he and his three brothers were born in the family’s woodshed, Costa’s father decided they already had too many animals at home.
Costa and his brother thought their parents took all the puppies away to destroy them. However, a few sad days later, they found Bobi alive, safely hidden in a pile of logs.
Costa and his brother kept the puppy’s existence a secret until his eyes were open: “We knew that if the dog opened his eyes, my parents wouldn’t bury him anymore,” Costa said, adding that “it was worth it “.
Bobi grew up “very sociable,” along with many other animals, and is said to roam freely in the woods and farmland around the home.
Costa attributes his pet’s longevity in part to the “quiet, peaceful environment” he grew up in, as well as his taste for human food.
As he got older, Bobi became less adventurous. He has difficulty walking and sometimes collides with objects as his eyesight has deteriorated. He likes to nap after meals and spends most of his time in the garden with four feline friends.
The pooch had “a huge scare” in 2018 and ended up in the hospital after collapsing with trouble breathing. Regular check-ups at the vet “have always shown that he is doing well for his old age,” says Costa.
“We are very fortunate and grateful to life for allowing us to have Bobi in our daily lives after 30 years,” he said.
(Copyright (c) 2022 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed or redistributed.)
https://whdh.com/news/sorry-spike-theres-a-new-worlds-oldest-living-dog-and-hes-the-oldest-ever-recorded/ sorry tip There’s a New World’s Oldest Living Dog — and It’s the Oldest Recorded — Boston News, Weather, Sports
