World's oldest dog ever, Bobi, dies at 31

Bobi, the world's oldest dog ever, has passed away at the age of 31, it was announced Monday. This is equivalent to an astonishing 217 dog years. 

Bobi's owner, Leonel Costa, told The Associated Press that his dog died in a veterinary hospital this past weekend. His death was additionally confirmed by his vet, Dr. Karen Becker, who wrote on Facebook that Bobi's "11,478 days on earth would never be enough, for those who loved him." Becker additionally noted that Bobi's long life could likely be attributed to "good nutrition, constant contact with nature, freedom to discover his environment, consistent veterinary care and love."

Bobi lived on a farm with Costa in the village of Conqueiros in his native Portugal, along with a number of cats. He was born on May 11, 1992, when Costa was eight years old, and spent his whole life by his owner's side. 

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Bobi was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese breed described by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as "an excellent farm and estate watch dog." He lived more than twice as long as the average member of his breed, as Rafeiro do Alentejos typically have a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, according to the AKC.

Prior to Bobi claiming the record, the oldest dog in confirmed history was Bluey, an Australian cattle dog that CNN reported "was born in 1910 and lived to be 29 years and five months old." Bobi claimed the title from Bluey in February when Guinness World Records certified him as the oldest dog at the age of 30 years and 266 days old. 

Costa told Guinness World Records that he had owned other dogs in the past that had lived past 20, and that Bobi may have lived so long because he exclusively ate human food.