Bobi, a 30-Year-Old Rafeiro Do Alentejo, Holds the Title of World’s Oldest Dog Ever
The last dog to hold the title of oldest dog ever was 29-year-old Bluey the Australian cattle dog (1910-1939).
A Rafeiro do Alentejo dog in Portugal has been crowned both as the world’s oldest living dog and the oldest dog ever by Guinness World Records. Bobi, who was born on May 11, 1992, is 30 years and 268 days old as of February 3.
Per Guinness World Records, Bobi's age was verified by the Portuguese government's pet database, which is managed by the National Union of Veterinarians. Rafeiro do Alentejos, a breed of livestock guardian dogs, have an average lifespan of 12-14 years.
Bobi was supposed to be put down along with his three siblings when they were puppies because his human family had too many animals at the time, but Bobi escaped and the family's kids kept Bobi's existence a secret from their parents. The parents eventually found out, but kept Bobi anyway.
According to the family, Bobi has lived a healthy and calm life apart from a health issue in 2018, when he was hospitalized due to breathing troubles. With time, however, Bobi's eyesight has worsened and walking has become difficult.
The last dog to hold the title of oldest living dog was 23-year-old Spike the Chihuahua, who died earlier this year. The last dog to hold the title of oldest dog ever was 29-year-old Bluey the Australian cattle dog (1910-1939).