In February 2023, everyone thought a 23-year-old Chihuahua had earned the esteemed Guinness World Records award for the world’s oldest dog, but an older dog’s records appeared, and now we are all amazed at this dog’s story and of course his age.
Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a guardian dog from Portugal, was 30 years and 266 days as of February 1 according to Guinness. The average life span for this breed is between 12 to 14 years.
Bobi’s story is quite amazing. When the dog was born along with his three litter mates in a rural village, the family who owned them were no longer able to afford to keep the puppies. During that time, it was not unusual for dog owners who couldn’t keep their puppies to bury them at birth. And that day, the puppies were taken away to be buried.
In a strange turn of fate, however, one of the family’s sons, Leonel Costa, who is Bobi’s current owner, noticed something strange after the mother of the puppies kept returning to the shed where her puppies had been born, even though they were no longer there. And Leonel followed the mother dog and soon discovered Bobi – still alive and being nursed by his mother.
It is thought Costa’s father didn’t see the brown puppy when he took the others away, and Leonel and his brothers kept the puppy a secret for a few weeks until Bobi opened his eyes, hoping his parents wouldn’t have the heart to turn him away.
Although their parents were angry, nevertheless Bobi has lived a long life. Leonel has never chained him up and has always allowed the dog to roam the property. Bobi has always eaten unseasoned human food which Costa thinks has contributed to his dog’s long life.
And although Bobi has some arthritis and the hearing and sight health issues old dogs have, he still loves everyday of his life and enjoys spending times with the family cats while relaxing by a warm fire in his home.
It is now believed Bobi is the longest living dog ever – only dog who came close was Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who lived 29 years and five months.
Live long and we all love you Bobi.
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