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World’s Oldest Dog Passes Away at 31 Years Old

By Margherita Cole on October 30, 2023

Bobi, the world's oldest dog, has passed away at the age of 31 years and 163 days. Rest easy, sweet boy. 14/10 ❤ pic.twitter.com/gwnO84j3xa

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One of the most heartbreaking things about getting a pet is knowing that their lives are much shorter than ours. For a large dog, 12 years can be the average life expectancy; however, one good boy in Portugal named Bobi surprised his owners and the world by living to an astounding 31 years. This made him the oldest dog in recorded history. Sadly, Bobi has passed away, leaving behind a lot of memories and love for those that knew him and knew of him.

Bobi was a red and white purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo livestock guard dog born in 1992. His owner, Leonel Costa, was just 8 years old when he fell in love with the canine. Bobi was one of four puppies born on Costa's parents' property, and there were already too many animals to take care of. “Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people […] to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Costa reveals. But when the time came, Bobi remained unseen by the parents, and Costa was able to raise Bobi in secret until he was grown.

Although it is unclear why Bobi lived twice as long as the average dog of his breed, his owner attributes it to his healthy lifestyle. Bobi grew up in the countryside of Conqueiros where he was allowed to roam off leash and mingle with many different animals. Additionally, he was never fed dog food, but instead ate human food that was soaked in water to remove seasoning.

Bobi's death at 31 puts him ahead of the previous record holder Bluey, the Australian cattle dog who died at 29 years and five months in 1939. The beloved dog has now crossed the Rainbow Bridge and lives on in memories those who loved him and through his title.