Take a bow-wow! Meet Bobi, the world’s oldest dog on record

CONQUEIROS, Portugal — When his dog was born three many years in the past in a tiny village in central Portugal, Leonel Costa was solely eight years outdated. Little did he know that his beloved Bobi would sooner or later be recorded as the world’s oldest dog.

When Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, celebrated its 30^th birthday final yr, Mr. Costa knew he had damaged an virtually century-old record held by an Australian cattle-dog that died at 29 years and 5 months in 1939.

Mr. Costa bought in contact with the Guinness World of Information, submitted all the paperwork and a yr later Bobi was formally named the oldest dog on record.

Bobi was 30 years and 269 days outdated as of Feb. 4.

“It’s a feeling of pride we can’t explain,” Mr. Costa, 38, informed Reuters as he petted Bobi close to a church in the village of Conqueiros in central Portugal.

“Some people told us we wouldn’t make it… but we knew Bobi’s age and were sure the exams would only prove what we already knew.”

The Guinness World of Information, which made the announcement on Thursday, described Bobi’s story as “miraculous”.

At the time Bobi was born, Mr. Costa’s household had many animals and little cash so his father, a hunter, usually buried new child puppies reasonably than hold them. However Bobi hid amongst a pile of firewood. Costa and his siblings discovered it a few days later and stored it a secret till the pet opened its eyes.

“We knew that when he opened his eyes, my mother and father wouldn’t have the ability to bury him, “ he stated.

Bobi’s breed often has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years and Mr. Costa attributed its longevity to a variety of components, together with residing in calm countryside, by no means having been chained or stored on a leash and all the time consuming “human food”.

“Of course, our love and affection throughout his life has also helped,” he stated, guffawing.

Though Bobi nonetheless loves walks, age is taking its toll: the dog is much less adventurous, its fur is thinning, its eyesight has worsened and it must relaxation greater than it used to.

Mr. Costa hopes Bobi has many extra years of life and is grateful the dog has put the distant village of Conqueiros on the map.

“There were other animals here who lived long lives but Bobi surpassed everything.” — Reuters

Source link