The Touching Story Behind the World's Longest-Living Dog has Just Set a Guinness Record

Just two weeks after Guinness World Records declared the 23-year-old Chihuahua the world's oldest dog, a much older dog appears to have claimed the title.

According to Guinness World Records, as of February 1, 2023, that dog was Poppy 30 years and 266 days old. A purebred male dog of the Rafeiro does Alentejo breed, born more than thirty years ago in a small village in central Portugal. The breed is typically used to guard livestock and has an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years, except the Bobbie.

He is currently the world record holder for the longest-lived dog, but no one knows that he nearly died at birth. Bobi was born along with three other male puppies in the Portuguese countryside of Conqueror. At that point, the family that owned them already had several animals that they decided to no longer care for.

Leonel Costa - The family's son recalls people often burying newborn puppies they couldn't keep. So, as soon as Poppy and his brothers were born, Costa's father prepared to take them away for burial.

But strangely, after a few days, they noticed something strange. The mother dog who gave birth to Poppy continues back into the cage where the pup was born. They track down the mother dog and find Poppy alive and in the barn. Poppy may have survived because the dog's brown coat camouflaged him and kept him alive. They decided to keep Poppy a secret for a few weeks until Poppy was old enough to open his eyes and Costa's parents couldn't bear to refuse him.

Despite being scolded many times by their parents for this, Costa said they accepted the life of Poppy puppy. Poppy has always lived a peaceful life, roaming freely in the forest and farmland surrounding the house. Dogs eat human food, which Costa's family believes will help Poppy live longer.

Poppy, now in his 30s, has trouble walking and has lost his eyesight. But the old dog continues to enjoy each day, resting, spending time with his feline friends, and relaxing by the fire when the weather turns cold. According to Costa, "Bobi is special because he's become a part of our family and he evokes memories of beloved relatives, such as my father and brother."