The oldest dog in the world, a Rafeiro do Alentejo named Bobi, has sadly passed away in his home in Portugal.
Born on May 11, 1992, Bobi lived for an incredibly long 31 years 165 days with his loving owner Leonel Costa and his family in the Portuguese village of Conqueiros.
Bobi passed away on 20 October in an animal hospital and his death was announced by Dr Karen Becker.
Bobi, the world’s oldest dog, lived to an incredible 31 years of age. Credit: Catarina Demony (Reuters).
“Last night, this sweet boy earned his wings,” Dr Becker wrote on Facebook.
“Even though he outlived every dog in history, his 11,478 days on this Earth would never be enough for those closest to him. Farewell, Bobi…you’ve taught the world all that you were meant to teach.”
Bobi was awarded the title of world’s oldest dog by Guinness World Records earlier this year.
Wasn’t Even Meant To Live
Bobi was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese dog breed that typically only lives for 10 to 14 years.
And although Bobi ended up becoming the oldest verified dog in history, he wasn’t even meant to live past his first birthday.
Bobi at the age of seven. Credit: Guinness World Records.
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Bobi was born in a litter with three other puppies. However, as his owner Leonel’s family already owned too many animals, Leonel’s father didn’t want to keep them.
“Unfortunately, back in those days, it was considered a normal thing to do by older people – to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Leonel said.
Leonel’s parents decided to take the new pups away while their mother was away. However, because Bobi was hidden amongst a pile of wood stored in the outbuilding where Bobi was born, Leonel’s parents didn’t spot him and so they accidentally left him behind.
Leonel and his brothers soon spotted Bobi, and the brothers decided to keep the puppy’s existence a secret.
When their parents discovered that Bobi was still alive, it was too late to put the pup down. Thus, Bobi became a part of the family.
“Our parents screamed at us and punished us. But it was worth it and for a good reason!” Leonel said.
How Bobi Lived For So Long
Leonel believes that the “calm and peaceful environment” that Bobi lived in was one of the reasons why Bobi lived for so long. Furthermore, Leonel never tied up, chained, or leashed Bobi. Bobi was a free dog that could enjoy roaming the nature surrounding his house whenever he pleased.
As Bobi grew older, he became less mobile. Thus, he spent most of the time in the backyard socialising with his cat siblings.
Bobi with one of his feline friends, Ceguinho in 2022. Credit: Guinness World Records.
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Leonel also believes that Bobi’s diet was another key reason for his long life. “He only ate human food. Whatever we ate, our pets ate too,” Leonel said. “But we always made sure that we soaked their food in water to remove the seasonings before serving them the food.”
While Bobi was the oldest dog that Leonel had ever owned, Leonel has actually owned several old dogs before. Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived until she was 18 years old. Chicote, another dog of Leonel’s, passed away at 22.
“Situations like this may seem like a natural outcome of their way of life, but Bobi is truly unique,” Leonel said following Bobi’s award by the Guinness World Records.
“Bobi was the last of a long generation of animals in our family,” Leonel said.
Rest in peace, Bobi.
