He’s not just older dog world, but the oldest in history – at least according to the Guinness Book of Records. Reason for Bobby who was born on May 11, 1992 and is currently 30 years and 268 days old.

A dog living in rural Portugal has broken a record that has stood for almost a century. The previous oldest dog in history, a female named Bluey, lived between 1910 and 1939 and was 29 years and 5 months old.

He also managed to dethrone Spikes, an Ohio Chihuahua who just two weeks ago was declared the world’s oldest dog by Guinness World Records at 23 years and 7 days old.

He almost died on his birthday

Bobby is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a sheepdog breed that typically lives 12-14 years. His mother lived to be 18 years old.

His birth in 1992 is officially registered and confirmed by the veterinary service of the city of Leiria, where Bobby lives with his guardians, the Costa family.

His age has also been confirmed by SIAC, the Portuguese government and veterinary union’s database of captive animals.

Bobby’s story is truly amazing. He was born along with his three other siblings in a warehouse where the Costa family kept firewood. Its owner, 38-year-old Lionel, was only 8 years old when he found it.

Leonel’s father was a hunter and he already had dogs, so he decided not to keep the puppies and put them to sleep.

Indeed, Lionel’s parents took the puppies and killed them, but they forgot one thing: Bobby. Leonel and his siblings decided to keep the dog’s existence a secret from their parents. Eventually, Bobby was old enough for the children’s parents to discover him and decide to keep him.

Quiet life

As for the dog’s longevity, even its owner cannot explain it. Lionel attributes this to the “quiet, peaceful environment away from the city” where Bobby grew up.

The dog has always been free to roam the woods and fields surrounding the Costa family home.

Lionel reports that Bobby has always been “very outgoing” as he grew up with many other animals. Now, in his old age, he is not as enterprising as in his youth: he walks with difficulty and spends most of his time in the yard, along with four cats.

His vision has deteriorated quite a bit, while he sleeps many more hours a day.

Regarding his diet, he always ate “human food”. Lionel believes it also contributed to his dog’s longevity. In fact, he always wets food himself before giving it to his animals to remove any sauces they have.

Bobby also drinks a lot of water – almost a liter a day – which, of course, also contributes to more frequent “visits” to the toilet.

Apart from a “horror” in 2018, when he had to be hospitalized for breathing problems, Bobby had no health problems. She often goes to the vet and her tests are always “clean” despite her advanced age.

It is noted that although it was not officially considered the oldest dog in history, on March 8, 1983, a dog named Chila died in Australia, which was reportedly 32 years and 3 months old.