If you're looking for any motivation today — get out and do it. Life is short and the years pile on quickly.
If you need proof, ask Bobi — the world's oldest dog...ever!
A Portuguese pooch named Bobi has been crowned the world's oldest dog, breaking a century-old Guinness World Record.
Two weeks after announcing Spike as the world’s oldest dog living, Guinness World Records received evidence of an even older dog. A much older dog.
In fact, Bobi (born May 11, 1992) is not just the oldest dog living but get this: he’s the OLDEST DOG EVER.
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Bobi is a Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of guard dog known for protecting property and livestock. They have an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years (but don't tell him that.)
As of February 1st, Bobi was 30 years, 8 months, and 21 days old — the equivalent to 136 years old in human years. Wow.
The American Kennel Club describes the breed as large-sized dogs that are both powerful and calm, and move with a “heavy, slow roll”.
For those keeping score at home, the previous reigning oldest dog was Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog born in 1910 that lived to be 29.5 years of age.
The Amazing Life of Bobi, the World's Oldest Dog Ever
Bobi has lived in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria Portugal, for more than three decades. On May 11th, 1992, Bobi’s litter was born in the family’s woodshed. Leonel Costa, Bobi’s owner — then just eight years old — said that his father decided the family had too many pets and couldn’t keep the litter of puppies.
“Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people who could not have more animals at home … to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Costa explained to Guinness World Records.
The day after the puppies were born, Costa’s father waited until the puppies’ mother, Gira, was away from the woodshed and took the puppies. Once Costa and his brothers discovered the dogs were gone, they were very distraught. They soon noticed that Gira continued going back to the woodshed, despite her puppies no longer being there. The curious boys decided to follow her and discovered one perfect little puppy hidden inconspicuously in a log pile. Naturally, the kids kept Gira’s hidden puppy a secret from their parents until his eyes were open.
“We knew that when the dog opened its eyes, my parents would no longer bury it,” Costa recalled.
It typically takes between one to two weeks for newborn puppies to open their eyes. When Leonel’s parents eventually discovered Bobi, it was already too late – the puppy had already opened his eyes.
Bobi became a member of the family. “I confess that when they found out that we already knew, they screamed a lot and punished us, but it was worth it and for a good reason!” said Leonel.
“That really is an unusual thing,” Erik Olstad, a veterinarian the University of California at Davis told the Washington Post. “Owners always ask me, ‘How can I make my dog live the longest life that they can?’ That’s a loaded question because there are so many variants that go into life expectancy.”
Bobi’s owners credit his long life to his diet of human food, his freedom to roam through nearby fields, and the peace of the tranquil countryside where he lives and grew up.
Leonel thinks that Bobi living “far from the cities” and never having been on a leash have also contributed to his longevity.
“Of course, our love and affection throughout his life also helped,” Costa says.
Bobi's age has been verified by SIAC, a Portuguese pet database managed by the National Union of Veterinarians.
Bobi comes from a long generation of animals in the Costa family. Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived to be 18, and another of Costa’s dogs, Chicote, lived to be 22 years old. Leonel says that Bobi is a reminder of times gone by and of the relatives he has lost over the years.
“Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world. Bobi represents those generations.”
- Leonel Costa, Bobi's owner.
Obviously, Bobi is less adventurous now in his old age. Instead, he spends the majority of his time in the backyard with the resident cats and relaxing by the fire.
The Costa family looks forward to celebrating his 31st birthday this May. And remember – if a dog can live its life to the fullest – you should be too!
