Greenacres, Florida’s 21-year-old chihuahua currently holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest living dog.
“TobyKeith” was born on January 9, 2001, and his record was verified on March 16, 2022, when he was 21 years, and 66 days old.
According to Guinness World Records, the dog’s owner, Gisela Shore, has been with him for most of his life after rescuing him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old.
“I was a volunteer at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue and one of the employees told me about an elderly couple trying to surrender a puppy because they could not take care of him any longer,” Shore told Guinness.
When TobyKeith reached the age of 20, Shore began to believe he might be the world’s oldest living dog. Shore’s family and friends were overjoyed when his record was validated.
TobyKeith was given a bath, a nail trim, and a car ride as a special gift to celebrate the news, according to Shore.
TobyKeith’s two other dogs, Luna, a 7-year-old American Bulldog, and Lala, a 3-year-old Chinese Crested, share Shore’s adoration. Coco, a 28-year-old Umbrella Cockatoo, and Coqui, a 32-year-old African Grey, are two of Shore’s parrots, according to Guinness.
TobyKeith, she adds, enjoys playing with Luna and Lala, but he has a special affinity with Coco, with whom he frequently goes around.
TobyKeith’s typical day begins with him waking up at 6:30 a.m. for his first trip outside and his first snack of the day. A piece of turkey, according to Shore, is his favorite snack.
When Shore works from home, he spends the remainder of his day taking small walks and resting close to her workstation.
TobyKeith has a heart issue, according to Shore, but it doesn’t bother him. At 21 years old, he has already outlived the Chihuahua’s usual life expectancy of 12 to 18 years.
So, what is TobyKeith’s secret to his longevity? Shore feels that frequent exercise and a nutritious diet of veggies, rice, and chicken keep him in good health (and no sugary treats). She believes that strong genetics and a caring family are the keys to TobyKeith’s long life, in addition to his health.
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia, was the oldest dog ever recorded. Bluey was born in 1910 as a puppy and spent nearly 20 years working with cattle and sheep until being put to sleep on Nov. 14, 1939, at the age of 29 years and 5 months.
