30-year-old Bobi named world’s oldest living dog by Guinness World Records

Meet 30-year-old Bobi, the world's oldest ever dog.

This comes just two weeks after the Guinness World Records announced Spike as the world's oldest living dog. Spike is a chihuahua from Ohio, which was born in Nov 1999. As of Dec 7 2022, it was 23 years and seven days old.

Bobi is 30 years 266 days old, as at February 1.

Bobi is a pure bred Rafeiro do Alentejo, which is a breed of livestock guardian dog with an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. It has lived its entire life with the Coata family in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal.

In 1992, Bobi was registered with Serviço Medico-Veterinário do Município de Leiria (Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria), who have confirmed Bobi's birthdate.

Bobi's age has also been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorised by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).

Bobi was born as one of four male pups, in an outbuilding where the Costa family stored wood.

Leonel thinks that one of the biggest contributing factors is the "calm, peaceful environment" Bobi lives in, "far from the cities".

Bobi has never been chained up nor attached to a leash. It has also always enjoyed free roam of the forests and farmland surrounding the Costa family house.

Leonel describes Bobi as "very sociable" as it grew up with many other animals.

Bobi is less adventurous now in his old age. Walking is difficult for the dog, so it mostly spends its time hanging out in the backyard with its four feline friends.

Bobi's eyesight has worsened, too. Leonel often notices him colliding with obstacles when it walks.

Due to its age, Bobi rests more now, and likes to lie in bed after meals. On colder days, it prefers to relax by the fire. As for its diet, Bobi has always eaten "human food".

"What we ate, they ate too," Leonel said. He believes that this has contributed greatly to Bobi's longevity.

The previous oldest dog ever was a Portuguese pooch named Bluey. It was an Australian cattle-dog that lived for 29 years and five months.

On March 8, 1983, an Australian cattle-dog/Labrador cross named Chilla, reputedly aged 32 years and three days at the time, died in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.

Copyright: The Straits Times/ Asia News Network