Which dog should you believe? In October 2023, Bobi passed away at the extraordinary age of 31, leaving behind his title as the oldest dog in the world. Although the news was emotional, it only took a short time for sadness to turn to distrust.
Bobi is said to have been born in 1992. However, the doubt lies with the only source of this information: the animal's owner. Due to the laxer regulations at the time, the owner lacked convincing documents from the perspective of the Guinness Book of Records, which was responsible for awarding the title of “Dog Longevity.” Bobi was therefore stripped of his title.
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Then another contender appeared on the stage of dogs with exceptional longevity, a Chihuahua named Spike. Don't let his missing teeth fool you, Spike is still alive and well at 24 years old. A deposed king, the Chihuahua briefly held the title of world's oldest dog before Guinness World Records learned of Bobi's existence. According to his owner Rita Kimball, it's only logical that Spike would regain his throne after his death.
The turning point
To confirm that Spike was still with us, Guinness obtained a photo of Kimball's Chihuahua from the daily newspaper. But that wasn't enough: He explained that he needed additional evidence to bring the sources together and prove a reliable date of birth. Despite the veterinary records, the invoices, the photos of Spike over the years that Kimball has provided, nothing works: Guinness considers this evidence insufficient.
Measuring an animal's age is complex, especially when it comes to the age of title contenders. Louise Allum, chief veterinarian at Britain's Royal Veterinary College, explains that teeth are thought to provide a number of important indicators. Thanks to the order in which dogs lose their teeth and tartar accumulates, it is possible to give confident estimates even if the exercise remains delicate. But remember: unfortunately, teething is a key element that Spike misses out on.
“Guinness World Records is in a very delicate situation in this regard,” said Allum, who is also particularly suspicious of Bobi’s alleged 31 years. With estimation methods still proving imperfect, new verification processes are needed for Guinness to crown the next dog.
While the race for the throne has been breaking longevity records one by one, it seems we are currently living through a canine interregnum. Spike, the heir to the throne, continues his mission. He continues to go out, take naps and eat his food (now just porridge). Kimball, however, can't help but lament that his grizzled dog doesn't get the recognition he deserves: “That seems unfair to me.” [le Guinness World Records] “undoes its decisions by changing the rules,” she complains.