Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentijo, recently celebrated his 31st birthday in February. According to Guinness World Records, he is the oldest dog in the world.
Up until recently, however, it was thought that Spike, a 23-year-old chihuahua living in Ohio, was the oldest living dog. In fact, Spike had just received his title a couple of weeks ago. Not long afterward, Guinness World Records received evidence of 31-year-old Bobi, who took over the title of the world’s oldest dog. His age has since been verified by his veterinarian and a Portugese government-authorized pet database.
Previously, the record was held by an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who was 29 years and five months old at the time of his death in 1939. In general, dogs typically live for 10 to 13 human years.
To celebrate the big day, his owners will be holding a big birthday party for him at his house in the village of Conqueiros, Portugal, where he’s lived his whole life. They will serve local fish and meats to guests and invite a dance troupe to perform. The birthday boy will even take part in one of the dances.
According to Guinness World Records, more than 100 people will be attending the “very traditional” Portuguese party, which will be taking place on May 13th. Many of the guests will also be flying in from foreign countries.
Who Is Bobi’s Owner?
Bobi has been part of the Costa family since he was born in their storage outhouse in 1992. One of his owners, 38-year-old Leonel Costa, was only eight years old at the time.
After discovering Bobi and his three brothers, Leonel’s father planned to bury them so they would not survive. After carrying out the act, however, he realized he had left one of the puppies behind. It wasn’t until they saw the pup’s mother, going back to the outhouse that they realized one had escaped the sad fate.
Leonel and his siblings ended up keeping Bobi in secret. They hoped their father would not bury the animal if the puppy opened his eyes. In the end, the siblings faced punishment when their parents discovered their plan. However, they succeeded and were able to keep Bobi as part of the family.
The Secret to Bobi’s Old Age
Leonel credits the calm, peaceful environment that they live in for Bobi’s astounding longevity and has stated that they live far from the cities. Instead of dog kibble, he always ate the same food his humans ate, except they were soaked in water to remove flavorings. He also drinks a liter of water every day.
He has also never been put on a leash or chained up. Rather, he has always been free to roam the farmland and forests near the Costa’s home.
Due to his old age, however, his vision has been fading, which has led him to stick closer to home. He also likes to hang out with the Costa’s cats in the backyard.
Bobi and his Newfound Fame
Bobi has been thrown into the spotlight ever since he received the title of the World’s Oldest Dog. According to Leonel, many people have come to visit from all over the world, including Europe and Japan, to take a picture with the pup.
Worried that all of the attention would cause him stress, Leonel took him to the vet for a checkup. Though his health was “a little damaged”, it has since gotten better.
