Which dog to trust? In October 2023, Bobby died at the extraordinary age of 31, relinquishing the title of world’s oldest dog. While the news was emotional, it took some time for sadness to turn to doubt.
Bobby is believed to have been born in 1992. However, the doubt lies in the sole source of this information: the animal’s owner. Due to more lax regulations at the time, the owner lacked credible documentation in the eyes of Guinness World Records, which was responsible for awarding the canine longevity title. So Bobby was stripped of his title.
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Another contender then emerged on the scene of dogs with exceptional longevity, a Chihuahua named Spike. Don’t be fooled by his missing teeth, Spike is still alive and well at 24 years old. As the deposed monarch, the Chihuahua briefly held the title of world’s oldest dog before Guinness World Records learned of Bobby’s existence. It’s only logical that when the latter dies, Spike should reclaim his throne, according to his owner Rita Kimble.
The tipping point
To verify that Spike is still with us, Guinness gets a photo of the Chihuahua from Kimball with the day’s newspaper. This was not enough: he declared that he needed additional evidence to collate sources and authenticate a reliable date of birth. Despite the veterinary records, the invoices, the years of photos of Spike that Kimball provided, nothing worked: Guinness considers this evidence insufficient.
Measuring the age of an animal is complicated, especially when it comes to title contenders. Lewis Elam, chief veterinarian at the UK’s Royal Veterinary College, explains that teeth are thought to provide many important indicators. The order in which dogs lose their teeth and thanks to the accumulation of tartar, even if the exercise remains delicate, accurate estimates can be given. But remember: teething is unfortunately a key part that removes the spike.
“Guinness World Records is in a very delicate situation on this subject”, according to Elam, who is also particularly suspicious of Bobby’s alleged 31 years. Because estimation methods still prove imperfect, new verification procedures are required for Guinness to crown the next dog.
While the race for the throne was breaking one longevity record after another, it seems we’re currently going through a canine interregnum. Spike, the heir apparent, continues his mission. He continues to go out, nap, eat food (now mush). Kimball, however, can’t help but regret that his gray dog isn’t getting the recognition it deserves: “It seems unfair to me that (Guinness World Records) is reversing its decisions by changing the rules”she moans.
