The World's Oldest Dog Just Celebrated His 31st Birthday
Malorie Thompson
The world's oldest dog just celebrated his 31st birthday in rural Portugal.
Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, was born May 11, 1992 in the village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal.
Photo: According to Guinness World Records, Bobi shattered the record for being the oldest living dog and is actually believed to be the oldest dog ever!
Back in 1992, Bobi was registered with Serviço Medico-Veterinário do Município de Leiria, who confirmed Bobi's birth date as accurate.
Prior to Bobi's entry into the Guinness World Records, the oldest dog ever was believed to be Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who lived to be 29 years and 5 months old. He died in 1939 and no other dog has come close to his record until now.
Photo: Guinness World Records shares that Bobi's story is not only incredible because of his age but also because he was originally slated to be killed as a newborn!
Bobi's family lives in a rural area with a lot of dogs. Back when Bobi was born, his family decided to throw all the puppies in a hole and bury them because they had too many dogs already. However, Bobi managed to escape the fate of his littermates and the family didn't realize he'd survived until it was too late.
Photo: Bobi may have had a rough start to life, but he was eventually accepted into the family.
Given his age, Bobi is doing incredibly well. He's slowed down some and his eyesight isn't what it once was, but all things considered, he's a healthy dog.
According to the American Kennel Club, Rafeiro do Alentejo dogs generally live to be 12-14 years of age. Considering Bobi has more than doubled that, it's safe to say he's doing well for himself.
Photo: Guinness World Records reports that Bobi's family is planning a huge birthday celebration for the dog on Saturday, May 13.
Hopefully he gets all of the treats and love he deserves!
