30-Year-Old Dog Named Bobi Declared World’s Oldest Dog Ever

Capping off another big week for dogs is word from Guinness World Records that a good boy from Portugal has smashed a record to become the oldest dog ever.

Indeed, as announced on Thursday, a 30-year-old dog by the name of Bobi has been formally distinguished as the oldest living dog. In addition to that honor, Bobi has also been determined to be the oldest dog ever, with the Guinness World Records noting in their announcement that his age has been confirmed by both the Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria and a Portuguese government database.

Bobi, whose age was 30 years and 266 days as of Feb. 1, is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo. These animals typically live to be as old as 14 and are best known as being livestock guardian dogs. Previously, the oldest dog ever was listed as an Australian cattle dog by the name of Bluey. He lived to be 29 years and five months old.

As for the secret to Bobi’s long life, his family credits it all to the “peaceful environment” he calls home in the Conqueiros region of Leiria. In May, Bobi will be celebrating his 31^st birthday.

In other recent dog news, a woman who left a heartbreaking note on a dog’s collar revealing she was homeless and could no longer care for the animal was recently reunited with her beloved pet by an animal shelter in Tennessee. When reached for comment by Complex on Thursday, the shelter in question—McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga—confirmed that the dog, named Lilo, was still in the facility’s care. However, the team is actively working with a number of partnering agencies to help the family get moved into “permanent pet-friendly housing.”