A farm dog has broken a world record after being crowned the oldest living canine. Bobi, who is 30 years old, has reached the milestone by outliving his breed’s normal life expectancy by almost two decades.
Bobi is a Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese breed best known for being “an excellent farm and estate watchdog” according to the American Kennel Club. The breed typically has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
In less than 24 hours, a TikTok clip posted by @guinnessworldrecords has racked up over 566,000 likes and 2.5 million views.
It seems age is just a number for Bobbi—who is 30 years and 267 days old to be precise—as he is still fit enough to roam around and play with a feline friend.
Bobi was born on 11 May 1992 and has lived his life with his owner Leonel Costa and his family in Conquerios in Leiria, Portugal, according to Guinness World Records.
Bobi’s age has been verified by SIAC, a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government and managed by the SNMV (Sindicato Nacional dos Médicos Veterinários; National Union of Veterinarians).
Previously, the oldest dog ever was Bluey, an Australian cattle-dog. He lived from 1910 to 1939 making him 29 years and 5 months old when he died.
Guinness World Records
The Costa family believe the secret to his long life is living in a natural environment and having the freedom to walk around whenever he likes.
The Portuguese pooch has never been chained nor attached to a leash and he has always freely roamed the forests and farmland.
Nowadays, dog owners are steering away from kibble and feeding their dogs a raw diet. Bobbi has never eaten either as he has always been fed “human food.”
However, feeding dogs your scraps isn’t recommended by veterinarians as their digestive system is different and some foods may be toxic to your canine.
Hills Pets Nutrition strongly advises dog owners not to feed their furry friends chocolate, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, almonds, onions or garlic as the repercussions could be life-threatening.
While human food seemingly hasn’t done any harm to Bobi, it is best to stick to a dog-friendly diet for your pet.
Bobi’s achievement has delighted the internet and thousands of people have commented on the viral video.
One comment with 29,900 likes said: “I hope Bobi liv[es] for eternity.”
Another said: “Whatever bobi is doing it’s working.”
“I’d give up the rest of my years if Bobi could take em,” said another.
