Fido Fountain of Youth: How a Portuguese Man Kept His Beloved Pet Dog Alive for 31 Years

The world's oldest dog recently passed away.

Born May 11, 1992, livestock guardian dog "Bobi" lived his entire life in the rural Portuguese village of Conqueiros.

Bobi died Saturday night, Oct. 21, 2023. He was 31 years old.

The pet broke the Guinness World Record for oldest living dog in February 2023 at the age of 30. Before Bobi, the record for oldest living dog was held by "Spike," a 23-year-old Chihuahua in Ohio.

But he wasn't just the oldest living dog — he was the oldest dog ever to be recorded. Before Bobi, that title was long held by an Australian cattle dog named "Bluey," who lived to be 29 years and five months old.

Bobi died at 31 years and 165 days old. His death was announced on Facebook by a veterinarian who met him several times, Dr. Karen Becker.

Bobi was a purebred Rafeiro de Alentejo, a Portuguese livestock guardian dog also known as an Alentejo mastiff. The life expectancy for the breed is typically between 12 and 14 years, according to the American Kennel Club.

"Despite outliving every dog in history, his 11,478 days on earth would never be enough, for those who loved him," Dr. Becker said in the post.

So how did the dog defy all odds and live such a long life?

Dr. Becker asked Bobi's owner Leonel.

"Good nutrition, constant contact with nature, freedom to discover his environment, consistent veterinary care, and love. Bobi knows he’s deeply loved," Leonel reportedly answered.

According to the Guinness World Records, Bobi was the lone survivor when his litter was buried shortly after their birth. His owner Leonel, who was 8 years old at the time, told the company his parents resorted to this because they already had too many animals to look after.

“Unfortunately, at that time it was considered normal by older people who could not have more animals at home […] to bury the animals in a hole so that they would not survive,” Leonel explained.

Bobi was then embraced as a member of the family.

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Leonel said Bobi was never chained up or attached to a leash, and lived in a "calm, peaceful" environment "far from the cities." He also said the pup was often around other animals, and was only fed "human" food.

Bobi was registered with a veterinary medical service in Portugal that confirmed his birth date, the Guinness World Records said.