chihuahua
Owner of the oldest living dog reveals the secret of his old age
Chihuahua TobyKeith was named after a country singer
© gisishore / Instagram
At more than 21 years old, a Chihuahua from the United States is officially the oldest living dog in the world. His owner also thinks she knows why.
In January, TobyKeith turned 21 – as a human he would have been allowed to drink alcohol in the USA, but as a dog this birthday earned the Chihuahua the title of “oldest living dog in the world”. In March he was officially included in the Guinness Book of Records. And as with very old people, everyone asks the old animal the question: What is the secret of its long life?
Gisela Shore, owner of TobyKeith, is actually able to list a few factors that she attributes to her pet’s advanced age. This includes regular exercise and a healthy diet, especially in the form of plenty of vegetables, rice and chicken. Sugary treats, on the other hand, are taboo. In addition, her dog has good genetic prerequisites, the woman from the US state of Florida told the Guinness Book of Records. And of course, having a home that TobyKeith feels comfortable in helps him reach the record age.
The dog from the USA came from the animal shelter
The Chihuahua has lived most of his life with his owner, who adopted him from a shelter when he was just a few months old. At that time the animal was still called “Peanut Butter”, it was later named after a country singer. Dog and owner have long been an inseparable duo, Shore calls TobyKeith her “little bodyguard”: “He follows me everywhere and lies on me when I watch TV.”
She is particularly pleased that her pet has made it into the Guinness Book of Records: “It definitely put a big smile on my face,” says Shore, who also owns two other dogs and two parrots. Record holder TobyKeith got a bath to celebrate the day and was rewarded with a ride in the car.
Although the dog suffers from a heart disease, this does not affect him any further. Otherwise he is in excellent health. He still has to hold out for a few more years in order to break the record as the oldest dog known to date: it is currently 29 years old.
Source: Guinness World Records / Gisela Shore on Instagram
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