This is Bobi. He was born on May 11, 1992. He has lived his whole life in Conqueiros, a village in Leiria, Portugal. Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, which is a livestock guarddog breed that typically lives 12 to 14 years.
Bobi has, of course, blown way past that record. He’s now well over 30 years old and fast approaching his 31st birthday. This achievement has secured him a Guinness World Record.
How does a dog live this long? Bobi’s humans attribute his longevity to his freedom. He’s never been leashed or chained. Bobi roams freely and interacts with many other animals. He doesn’t eat a special, healthy diet—just human food.
So he’s been far from sheltered and protected from the world. Perhaps there are lessons for us humans in our lifestyle choices here.