So, exactly how old would a 21-year-old dog be in human years?
That might depend on various calculations and charts, but whatever it is, it’s an age that any dog rarely lives to.
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Given that, a 21-year-old chihuahua in Florida has made some history, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
The website for the Guinness Book of World Records last month confirmed that a furry friend in Greenacres, Florida, which is roughly 10 miles southwest of West Palm Beach, is the world’s oldest dog.
Named TobyKeith, the dog was confirmed to be 21 years and 66 days by the Guinness Book of World Records on March 16, according to its website.
The owner of the dog, Gisela Shore, told the website that TobyKeith was adopted from a shelter when he was a few months old.
Shore said to the website that when the dog turned 20, she had a feeling it might be the world’s oldest living dog.
When the fact was confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records, TobyKeith got a bath, his nails trimmed and went for a car ride to celebrate, according to the website.
“TobyKeith is my little bodyguard,” Shore told the website. “(He) follows me everywhere. Lays on me while we watch TV. I adore him.”
The typical life expectancy of an average chihuahua is 12 to 18 years.
Shore said she believes TobyKeith has achieved his longevity and overcome a heart condition through regular exercise and a diet of vegetables, rice and chicken and no treats with sugar.
“People can’t believe how good he looks for his age,” said Shore, who also owns two other dogs and two parrots.
To see pictures of TobyKeith, check out the Guinness Book of World Records’ site.
The Guinness Book of World Records site said the oldest dog ever recorded was an Australian-cattle dog named Bluey, which died in Australia at the age of 29 in 1939.