TobyKeith, a 21-Year-Old Chihuahua, Just Broke the Guinness World Record for Oldest Living Dog

Meet TobyKeith! Born on January 9, 2001, the Florida-based Chihuahua is officially the oldest living dog in the world, USA Today reports. He made history on March 16, 2022, when Guinness World Records announced the news. TobyKeith is 21 years and 66 days old. "People can't believe how good he looks for his age," Gisela Shore, TobyKeith's owner, told Guinness. The last record holder was an Australian cattle that lived to be 29 years and 5 months old.

Shore took her beloved dog in as a puppy after an elderly couple could no longer care for him back in the early aughts. "I was introduced to a tiny tan Chihuahua. They had named him Peanut Butter. I later changed his name to TobyKeith," she says.

The pet parent credits TobyKeith's genetics, healthy diet, and happy home life as the secrets to his longevity. While he is living with a heart condition, Shore says it doesn't impact his everyday life, as he goes for a morning walk to start each day, eats slices of turkey (his favorite food), goes for shorter walks later on in the day, and rests next to his owner during the workday. "The thought that my little guy has reached such a milestone is fantastic! I am thrilled," she adds.

TobyKeith's record is especially exciting since he exceeds the general life expectancy for a dog based on his age. Diana Hightower, the president of Chihuahua Rescue and Transport, told MarthaStewart.com that many Chihuahuas live up to a couple of decades. "While the age range is not breed specific, it is true that smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger dogs," she explains. "A larger dog will have a lifespan of between 8 to 10 years, while smaller breeds (such as Chihuahuas) can generally live as long as 15 to 20 years."