A new Guinness record has been broken in the animal world. Bobi, an Alentejo mastiff, has been declared the world’s oldest living dog, Guinness World Records revealed on Thursday. Born on May 11, 1992, Bobi has a whopping 30 years and 267 days to live, something never seen before in a dog.
Belonging to the Rafeiro do Alentejo breed, known for protecting livestock, Bobi has managed to far exceed the life expectancy of his species. As Guinness itself has pointed out, these dogs usually have an average life expectancy of 13 years, something that Bobi left behind more than a decade ago. The SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government, has been in charge of verifying the age of the animal.
Bobi has spent her entire life within the Costa family, who reside in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Portugal. Being just a puppy, he was sentenced to die, since his family could not take care of more animals. His owner, Leonel Costa, reveals to Guinness: “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 “.
Faced with an overload of dogs, Leonel’s parents decided to take the puppies, not realizing that they had left one behind. Gira, Bobi’s mother, was in charge of revealing this mistake, since she kept visiting the room where her puppies were born. One day, Leonel and her brother decided to follow her, discovering Bobi, the dog that would end up becoming a milestone in the animal world.
The secret behind Bobi’s longevity is quite simple; the Costa family emphasizes the “calm and peaceful environment” in which they have grown up, far from the big cities. In addition, he has always had complete freedom of movement, since he has never been tied to a leash. As for her diet, Guinness has revealed that Bobi has always consumed “human food”.
Unfortunately, the years also take their toll on Bobi. Currently, the mastiff has trouble walking, and his eyesight has worsened, causing him to bump into objects often. However, his regular vet appointments confirm that he is in good condition for his advanced age.
Originally, the world’s oldest living dog was held by Spike, a Chihuahua mix from Ohio, USA. However, Guinness World Records received proof of the existence of an even older dog. After checking his age, it is confirmed that Bobi is not only the oldest living dog, but the longest-lived dog of all time.
