World’s oldest dog Bobi dies at over double the age of a normal Rafeiro Do Alentejo lifespan

World’s oldest dog Bobi dies after beating century-old record

Bobi’s death was announced by American veterinarian Dr Karen Becker, who met him several times.

“Despite outliving every dog in history, his 11,478 days on earth would never be enough, for those who loved him,” she wrote on social media.

On February 1, 2022, the Guinness World Records recognized Bobi as both the world’s oldest living dog and the oldest dog ever. He beat an almost century-old record for the latter title, which was previously held by Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who was euthanized on November 14, 1939, aged 29 years and five months.

Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, was just eight years old when his pup was born. Costa, who lives in the rural village of Conquieros, Portugal, credited the “calm, peaceful environment” and life away from cities as the secret to Bobi’s long life.

Costa, 38, claimed that his pooch ate “what we ate” and was never leashed. His food was also soaked in water to remove seasonings.

It seems like a long life runs in the family; Bobi’s mother, Gira, died at age 18, while another of Costa’s dog, Chicote, lived to 22.

What is the life expectancy of a Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo?

The normal life expectancy of a Rafeiro do Alentejo is between 12 to 14 years, meaning Bobi was just five years off triple the lifespan.

His story is even more miraculous given Bobi’s intended fate at birth. The Portuguese mastiff and his three siblings were born in the Costa family outhouse. Since they already owned a large number of animals, Leonel Costa’s father decided to put them down.

Bobi, however, was disguised amongst the wood and escaped the same fate as his siblings. Leonel and his brothers decided to keep Bobi and was adopted by the family.

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