A new Guinness World Record for the oldest living dog has just been confirmed in Florida, USA.
The chihuahua named TobyKeith was born on 9 January 2001, and had his record verified at the golden age of 21 years, 66 days on 16 March 2022.
His owner, Gisela Shore, was thrilled with his official title, after rescuing him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old.
She told Guinness World Records : "It definitely brought a big smile on my face!"
Gisela believes key to TobyKeith's long life is regular exercise, healthy genetics, a diet of vegetables, rice and chicken, and most importantly, a loving home.
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In 2001, Gisela was volunteering at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue when an elderly couple surrendered their puppy because they could no longer care for him.
The tiny tan chihuahua was originally named Peanut Butter, though Gisela quickly changed his name to TobyKeith after adopting him.
For the next two decades, Gisela and TobyKeith developed a strong bond, and he exceeded the usual life expectancy of an average chihuahua, which can range from 12 to 18 years.
When he turned 20, Gisela realised he could be the oldest dog living, and Guinness World Records confirmed his title just weeks ago.
TobyKeith celebrated by having his nails trimmed, taking a ride in the car and eating his favourite meaty treat, a slice of turkey.
Gisela describes the old man as "spunky, friendly and sweet" and says his best friend is a 28-year-old parrot named Coco.
The gentleman shares his home with two other dogs, seven-year-old American bulldog, Luna, and three-year-old Chinese crested, Lala, and a 32-year-old parrot named Coqui.
TobyKeith does have a heart condition, but it doesn't affect his daily life. Every morning, he wakes up at 6.30am and goes for regular short walks with Gisela.
The oldest dog ever recorded by Guinness World Records was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey, owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia.
Bluey was born in 1910 and worked for nearly 20 years, before being put to sleep on November 14, 1939, aged 29 years 5 months.
Do you have a dog story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
