Bobi, a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese dog, celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday at his home in the Portuguese village of Conqueiros, where has lived his entire life.
The Rafeiro Do Alentejo is a large, mastiff-type dog with a massive, bear-like head. His normal life span is 12 to 14 years. At 31, Bobi has that deadline beaten by double the count. What is the secret to his longevity?
One of the biggest contributing factors to Bobi’s longevity is the “calm, peaceful environment” in which he lives, according to his owner, Costa.
Throughout his life, Bobi has freely roamed the forests surrounding the Costa house. He has never been chained or leashed.
The “very sociable” dog was never lonely because he grew up surrounded by many other animals, Costa said.
Just like old humans, Bobi now finds it difficult to walk, so he prefers to hang out at home in the yard. His eyesight has gotten worse, so he often bumps into things when he walks. Also like old-timer humans, Bobi sleeps a lot. He immediately lies down in bed after eating, although on cold days he chooses to cozy up by the fire, his owner said.
More than 100 people attended the “very traditional” Portuguese party to celebrate a life that in human years would be over 200.
Everyone, including Bobi who only eats human food, enjoyed local meats and fish. A dance troupe also performed with Bobi participating in one of their routines—slowly.
Costa has owned several old-age dogs in the past, including Bobi’s mother, Gira, who lived to age 18. However, Costa said he never imagined any of his dogs would reach their 30s. As proved by his inclusion in the Guinness Book, this is indeed a record.
There’s no doubt that his 31 years are all present and accounted for: Bobi’s birth date has been confirmed by the Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria, which registered Bobi in 1992.
His age also has been verified by a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government.
Costa, now 38, was just 8 years old when Bobi was born. For him, Bobi is a living reminder of the past, he said. As he has outlived many of his owner’s relatives.
“Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of our family and unfortunately are no longer here, like my father, my brother, or my grandparents who have already left this world,” Costa said. “Bobi represents those generations.”
That’s a heavy weight to bear—even for a big mastiff. Happy birthday Bobi.
