Bobi
He is said to be the oldest dog ever. But now there are doubts
The now deceased dog Bobi, who was considered the oldest dog of all time
© Jorge Jeronimo/AP/DPA
At 31 years old, dog Bobi made it into the Guinness Book as the oldest dog in the world. But there is no watertight evidence of its age. Will the supposed record holder lose his title?
He was considered the world’s oldest dog of all time – but now Bobi has subsequently lost this title. There is a lack of “convincing evidence” about the age of the Portuguese dog that died last year, it said on Thursday Guinness Book of Records after a month-long investigation. Bobi died in October; according to his owner, he was 31 years and 165 days old. However, experts questioned its age.
Bobi was declared the world’s oldest dog by the Guinness Book of Records in February 2023. At that time, the dog from a small village in Portugal was 30 years and 266 days old, according to his owner. The previous record holder was Australian dog Bluey, who died in 1939 at the age of 29 years and five months. But after Bobi’s death, doubts about his age grew, and the Guinness Book of Records finally initiated an investigation, which ended with the title being revoked.
Bobi’s owner rejects allegations
Rafeiros are Portuguese herding dogs that have an average life expectancy of twelve to 14 years. The Guinness Book of Records did not give any reason for doubting Bobi’s age record. As British and US media reported, experts are skeptical, among other things, because Bobi’s paws are a completely different color in photos of him as a puppy and as a senior.
Bobi’s owner Leonel Costa had rejected all allegations. He attributed Bobi’s longevity primarily to the tranquility of the village’s rural life and his varied diet. The dog was never on a leash and always roamed the surrounding forests. Bobi spent his twilight years in the garden – together with the family cats.