Bobi was the world's oldest dog when it died. Thing is, though, it obviously wasn't, and now the Guinness Book of World Records has officially stripped Bobi of the title. Bobi was a good boy but was not particularly old, and probably inherited the lifespan of a parent through an inexplicable mistake by its owners.
The organisation said the microchip claimed to prove Bobi's age was not sufficient proof to grant him the title, awarded in February last year. GWR said it had not yet determined which dog is the new record holder. Bobi was a Rafeiro do Alentejo from Conqueiros, Portugal. The breed typically lives for around 12-14 years. But when Bobi was awarded the award, it was claimed that he was 30 years old. Bobi died in October 2023, at the reported age of 31 years and 165 days.
Perhaps the whole imbroglio is best understood as an example of Guinness's perverse incentives at work. Bobi could have been the largest cake in the Jeddah Mall but was sadly entered in a category where competition exists.
