A 21-year-old Chihuahua from Greenacres, Florida now holds the Guinness World Record for oldest living dog.
“TobyKeith” was born on January 9, 2001 and had his records checked at the age of 21 years and 66 days on March 16, 2022.
The puppy’s owner, Gisela Shore, has been with him for the vast majority of his life after adopting him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old, according to Guinness World Records.
“I was volunteering at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue and one of the staff told me about an elderly couple trying to return a puppy because they couldn’t take care of him anymore,” Gisela told Guinness.
Over the past two decades, Gisela has fostered over 150 dogs and puppies from Peggy Adams Animal Rescue.
“I met the elderly couple and was introduced to a little tan Chihuahua,” she said. “They had named him Peanut Butter. Later I changed his name to TobyKeith.”
Gisela said that when TobyKeith turned 20, she began to think he might be the oldest living dog in the world. Once her record was confirmed, Gisela’s family and friends were thrilled.
Gisela said TobyKeith even got a bath, nail trim and car ride as a special treat to celebrate the news.
TobyKieth shares Gisela’s affection with her two other dogs: Luna, a 7-year-old American Bulldog, and Lala, a 3-year-old Chinese Crested. Gisela also tells Guinness that she has two parrots: Coco, a 28-year-old Umbrella Cockatoo, and Coqui, a 32-year-old African Grey.
She says TobyKieth enjoys playing with Luna and Lala, but shares a special bond with Coco and often walks with her.
Gisela Shore (via Guinness World Records)
An average day for TobyKieth is waking up at 6:30 a.m. for her first trip outside before having her first snack of the day. Gisela says her favorite treat is a slice of turkey.
The rest of her day consists of short walks and lying next to Gisela’s workstation when she works from home.
Gisela says TobyKeith has a heart condition, but it doesn’t cause her too much trouble. At 21, he has already far exceeded the average life expectancy of a Chihuahua, which is 12 to 18 years.
So what’s the secret to TobyKeith’s longevity? Gisela believes her good health is maintained by regular exercise and a healthy diet of vegetables, rice and chicken (and no sugary treats). Along with her health, she also believes the key to TobyKeith’s old age is good genetics and a loving home.
The oldest dog on record was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia. Bluey was obtained as a puppy in 1910 and worked among cattle and sheep for nearly 20 years before being put to sleep on November 14, 1939 at the age of 29 years and 5 months.
