Owner Of World’s Oldest Dog Offers Secret To 21-Year-Old’s Longevity

Gisela Shore of Florida is the owner of a 21-year-old Chihuahua, TobyKeith. Recently, the cute pup was honored to be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Oldest Dog. How has this cute little guy managed to stay healthy and alive for so long? Gisela has now revealed the secret to TobyKeith’s longevity – read on to find out more.

21-year-old Chihuahua is World’s Oldest Dog

A brand new Guinness World Record for the World’s Oldest Dog has just been confirmed in Florida, USA. The Chihuahua, named TobyKeith, was born on January 9, 2001. Meanwhile, his record was verified on April 14, 2022, at the golden age of 21 years and 66 days.

After TobyKeith was honored with the Guinness World Record, his owner, Gisela Shore, opened up about his secret of longevity. According to her, his secret is healthy genetics, a loving home and a good diet.

Speaking to Guinness World Records, Gisela said she was thrilled with TobyKeith’s official title. It turns out she rescued him from an animal shelter when he was only a few months old. She said, “It definitely brought a big smile on my face!”

The secret to TobyKeith’s long life

According to Shore, the key to the Chihuahua’s long life is healthy genetics, regular exercise, a diet of vegetables, rice and chicken. However, most of all, it is the fact that he lives in a loving home.

Gisela was volunteering at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue in 2001 when an elderly couple surrendered their puppy. They said they could no longer care for the little Chihuahua. While the tan-colored pup was originally named Peanut Butter, when Gisela adopted him she changed it to TobyKeith.

Over the next two decades, Gisela formed a strong bond with TobyKeith. This led to the puppy exceeding the usual life expectancy of the average Chihuahua which ranges from 12 to 18 years.

It was as TobyKeith turned 20 that Shore realized he could be the oldest living dog. Meanwhile, last month, the Guinness World Records confirmed his title. Reportedly, he celebrated the honor by having his nails trimmed, enjoying a ride in the car and munching his favorite treat, a slice of turkey.

Meanwhile, his loving owner describes TobyKeith as “spunky, friendly and sweet” and says the Chihuahua’s best friend is a 28-year-old parrot named Coco. Meanwhile, he shares his loving home with two other dogs. One is a three-year-old Chinese Crested dog called LaLa and the other is a seven-year-old American bulldog named Luna. Meanwhile, he also lives with a 32-year-old parrot by the name of Coqui.

While TobyKeith does currently have a heart condition, this doesn’t affect his daily life. In fact, he wakes up at 6:30 am, ready to go on regular short walks with Gisela.

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