World's Oldest Dog May Not Have Been

UPDATE Oct 23, 2023 9:35 AM CDT

Bobi was no doubt a good boy, but he may not have been the oldest known dog in history, after all. Guinness World Records has rescinded the title it bestowed on the dog in Portugal last year, reports CNN. GWR says it is now investigating evidence previously presented asserting that Bobi (who died in October) was 31 years old. His age had supposedly been confirmed by Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria, but doubts have since surfaced, and GWR is looking into it. Wired, for example, raised skepticism in a December report. For now, the honoree of "world's oldest dog" remains vacant.

May 11, 2023 12:39 PM CDT

Seeing a dog reach 21 years is remarkable. In Portugal, a dog named Bobi has just turned thirty-one, reports UPI. In fact, Bobi currently holds two Guinness World Records—oldest living dog (which he earned earlier this year, per Smithsonian) and, more impressively, oldest dog ever. Bobi's breed isn't specified, but he has lived his entire life in the village of Conqueiros with owner Leonel Costa, 38.

In a Guinness video, Costa offers his own theories about Bobi's longevity. He notes that the dog apparently has good genes, with his mother living to 18. Bobi has always eaten "human food," though without any seasoning, and has never been tethered or even leashed in the rural village. Costa adds that Bobi is and always has been good-natured, and the dog is shown snuggling with cats in the video. (More dogs stories.)