Every dog parent dreams of their dog far exceeding lifespan expectations and living to a ripe old age. Much to the joy of their human companions, the oldest dogs in the world did just that. Take inspiration from how long these venerable puppers lived.
The Oldest Dogs in the World Guinness Record Holders
The average lifespan for dogs is estimated at 12.8 years, but these dogs all lived much longer — and one of them is still alive! Check out the exceptional longevity of the Guinness record holders for the world's oldest dogs.
| Dog | Breed | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Bluey | Australian cattle dog | 29 years, 5 months |
| Chanel | Dachshund | 21 years |
| Max | Mutt | 29 years, 282 days |
| Otto | Dachshund-terrier | 20 years, 11 months |
| Bluey | Rafeiro do alentejo | 31+ years (still alive) |
1. Bluey: The Australian Cattle Dog - 29 Years
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, held the record for the oldest living dog ever recorded until recently. Living between 1910 and 1939, he reached an astonishing age of 29 years and 5 months. Hailing from Victoria, Australia, Bluey worked as a herding dog for most of his life, showing that an active lifestyle might just be the secret to longevity.
2. Chanel: The Dachshund - 20 years, 11 months
In September of 2009, the animal world bid farewell to Chanel, a wire-haired dachshund known for her incredible longevity. Having reached the ripe old age of 21, she captured the attention and admiration of many pet enthusiasts and even held a spot in the record books as the oldest living dog. For a breed that typically has a lifespan of 12 to 16 years, Chanel's 21 years were truly exceptional.
3. Max: The Mutt - 29 Years
Max, a delightful mix of beagle, dachshund, and terrier, hailed from the United States. Born in 1983, he lived until 2013, marking 29 years and 282 days. While Max died just before Guinness could certify him, other record certification organizations did, including The World Academy and The Telegraph.
4. Otto: The Dachshund-Terrier - 21 Years
After Chanel's passing, Guinness named Otto, a dachshund-terrier mixed-breed canine living in England, as the record holder in the oldest living dog category. He survived until January of 2010 and passed away just three weeks before turning 21 years of age. Otto's owners, Lynn and Peter Jones of the British town of Shrewsbury, adopted the pooch when he was just six weeks old.
5. Bobi: The Portuguese Pup - 31+ Years
The current record-holder is a Portuguese dog named Bobi. On May 11, 2023, Bobi turned 31, and he's still going! Bobi is a purebred rafeiro do alentejo, a breed typically used to protect lands and animals. While these dogs usually have a lifespan of 12 to 14 years, Bobi has lived remarkably beyond that.
Celebrating the Oldest Dogs in the World
You can keep up with current official animal extreme record holders on the Guinness World Records website. As of this writing, Bobi's successor for the title of world's oldest dog has not yet been named, since Bobi is still going strong. As these record-holders prove, sometimes old dogs can learn new tricks and live for a very long time.
