Toby Keith is 21 years old. And now he is officially the oldest living dog in the world.
The record was confirmed by representatives of the Guinness Book of Records on March 16, 2022. At this time, the age of the Chihuahua named Toby Keith was 21 years and 66 days. This far exceeds the typical lifespan of a Chihuahua, which ranges from 12 to 18 years.
The dog’s owner, Gisela Shor, adopted him as a puppy when Toby Keith was just a few months old.
“I was an animal rescue volunteer and one of the staff told me about an elderly couple trying to give away a puppy because they couldn’t take care of it anymore. I met them and was introduced to a tiny chihuahua named Peanut Butter. I later changed his name to Toby Keith.”Gisela Shore
The rest of the oldest dog in the world Photo: Gisela Shore
Gisela began to think that her pet might be the oldest living dog when he turned 20 years old.
“When he turned 20, everyone’s reaction was, ‘Wow! My friends and family said that this is the oldest dog they know about. When the record was confirmed, I couldn’t help smiling from the top of my head,” says Gisela.
The record was celebrated not only by the owners and friends of the dog. On this day, Toby Keith took a bath, had his nails trimmed and had a ride in a car — this is one of his favorite activities.
Toby Keith celebrates getting into the Guinness Book of Records Photo: Gisela Shore
As you might guess, Gisela has a very close relationship with her pet.
“Toby Keith is my little life guard. He follows me everywhere. Lies on top of me while we watch TV. I love him.”, – says the owner of the dog.
Toby Keith shares Gisela’s affection for two other dogs: Luna (a seven-year-old American Bulldog) and Lala (a three-year-old Chinese Crested). In addition, Gisela has two parrots: Koko (a 28-year-old large white-crested cockatoo) and Koki (a 32-year-old gray).
Toby Keitt loves to play with Luna and Lala, but they have a special friendship with Koko.The dog often rides the parrot on itself without argument.
A typical day for this elderly gentleman looks like this: he wakes up at 6:30 in the morning to take his first walk in the fresh air, and after that he has breakfast.His favorite treat is a slice of turkey. The rest of his day consists of other short walks and lying next to his mistress when Gisela works from home.
The Chihuahua’s heart is no longer in perfect condition, but in general it can be considered relatively healthy. Gisela believes that regular exercise and a healthy diet consisting of vegetables, rice and chicken, as well as avoiding sugary treats, contribute to maintaining the health of the pet. But the most important key, according to Gisela, is healthy genetics and loving people around.
Previously, the oldest dog ever living was considered an Australian Shepherd named Bluey, owned by Les Hall from Rochester, Victoria, Australia. Hall adopted Bluey as a puppy in 1910, and for 20 years the dog helped Les around the house. Bluey was euthanized on November 14, 1939 at the age of 29 years and five months.
