Bobi – the oldest dog ever recorded in the world, has died aged 31, leaving his Portuguese family feeling as if “one of our pillars has collapsed”.
Bobi was awarded the title of ‘oldest dog in the world’ by the Guinness Book of Records earlier this year. At the time he was 30 – even older than the previous title holder, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939.
He went on to ‘celebrate his 31st birthday, at home in Conqueiros, Leiria, in May. It was a relatively quiet affair as even then he was taking life very slowly. Guests came “from all over the world”, said reports – “all of them wanting their picture taken with him”. But he needed his rest, and was forced to take several naps. Even so, Bobi managed to eat his way through a meal of grilled fish and pork, and enjoy a folkloric dance put on in his honour. He apparently “particularly appreciated the company” of a female four-footed friend who came along with her owner for the occasion.
For a glimpse of his last special day, there is a heartwarming clip on youtube
Since then, life returned to the way it almost always was with Bobi: a life of freedom and calm.
His owner Leonel puts Bobi’s longevity down to his calm existence; the gentle pace of life in Conqueiros – and the fact that he always ate human food, without any salt/ pepper or spices.
But the benefits of calm, good food and exemplary genetics can only go so far, and recently Bobi had gone in to some sort of decline.
Leonel recalls: “It was a tough battle, and only a warrior like him could have lasted all this time”.
Bobi had been at the vets for a few days before he died, very quietly, yesterday – and now his family have a lifetime of memories to cherish.
As Leonel stresses, they are the very best of memories, as Bobi was invariably happy and “made a lot of people happy” too.
