According to the Guinness Book of World Records, a chihuahua named Tobykeith has been declared the oldest living dog in the world. Dogs normally live 10 to 13 years but chihuahuas live relatively longer. The average lifespan of this breed is between 12 to 18 years and this boy has clearly exceeded that.
Who is the World’s Oldest Living Dog, Tobykeith?
TobyKeith was born in 2001 and his pet parent, Gisela Shore picked him up from an animal shelter while he was only a few months old. He now lives in Greenacres, Florida.
Gisele said that she found him when she was a volunteer at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue. An employee told her that an elderly couple came to surrender a puppy because they were no longer able to take care of him. Gisela said that she took that Chihuahua, which was called Peanut Butter back then. She later changed his name to TobyKeith and both have been living together for more than 2 decades. The oldest living dog is now 21-years-old and 66 days.
Gisele also has 2 more dogs and 2 parrots. Unfortunately, the dog suffers from a cardiac problem. There is not much known about the disease but Gisela believes that a nutritious diet and regular exercise help to keep the dog healthy.
Previous Record
Before Tobykeith, an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey held the record of oldest living dog. He died at the age of 29 years and 6 months in 1939. Bluey is still known to be the only dog in the world that reached that age.
Disputed Claims on Social Media
While the news about Tobykeith was going viral on social media, some came forward with additional information. They claimed that Tobykeith was not actually the oldest living dog but the only one to be reported to Guinness. Many shared that their dogs were way too older and healthier than him. Some shared earlier posts where someone was celebrating the 23rd birthday of their dog.
