Posted on May 11, 2009 by: WayCoolDogs

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The question of “Who Are the Oldest Dogs in the World” fascinates many people as many never consider how old a dog actually will get. And truth be known, when new owners first bring home a puppy, many never consider the years that dog will stay with them throughout its life. Statistics show us that most end up in another home, a shelter, will get lost/stolen, or simply die…very few being labeled as one of the oldest dogs in the world

Unfortunately, this is a part of living in a society where we have become a “one size fits all” and almost everything has become easily disposable, including live creatures. The life duration of small dogs vary from 11 to over 25 years, with very few dogs remaining in the same household they first arrived at when they were brought home. But there are a few statistics remaining which show the other side of the coin for some lucky dogs.

HOW TO RAISE ONE OF THE OLDEST DOGS IN THE WORLD:

• A loving owner and/or family who feels the dog is part of their life, always remaining loyal and patient.

• Immediately enroll your dog into a training class. The majority of shelter dogs are those who are not trained.
  

• Quality care throughout their life — exercise, up-to-date immunization, dog food, etc.

• Proper ID in case the animal strays or becomes lost.
  

• License the dog as your local area requires.

• When walking the dog, always keep them on a leash when off your property.

• If the dog is kept outside at any time, ALWAYS provide an adequate shelter.

• Spay or neuter your pet as soon as possible to eliminate unwanted pregnancies or the dog from running off.
  

Chanel

Recently it was announced on May 6, 2009, that the oldest dog in the world was a dachshund named Chanel. A 147-year old dog (in dog years) whose independent nature allowed her to get her own way more than once according to her owner Denice Shaughnessy of Long Island, she wears a pair of special dog sun glasses with protective lenses because of her cataracts.  Making head-lines all over the world, she is now rated as the world’s oldest dog by the Guinness World Records in 2008, and is still the love of her owner’s life as the day she was brought home. With her one-time red color turned to white due to her old-age, little Chanel  had a Manhattan-style birthday party with all her many doggie friends.

Like most dogs her age, Chanel eats a special diet due to the age her teeth are in – her diet consists of boiled chicken and whole-wheat pasta. Her treats are special also, selected for their softness so she can eat them with her fragile teeth. With her birthday pictures taken with beautiful sweater on so she won’t become chilled or ill, Chanel is typically kept in a 72-degree home so her bones won’t feel the cold so much. Exercise is important to her through easy and gentle walks during the summer, but most of the time she relaxes in her temperature-controlled living quarters.

“She used to run three miles with me every day,” said Shaughnessy, a high-school principal’s secretary who adopted Chanel from a Virginia shelter as a 6-week-old pup. “She still enjoys a walk, but now she’s carried for a lot of it.” (Adam Nichols, New York Post, May 6, 2009)

BLUEY

The first official recorded oldest dog on earth was Bluey, a larger dog who was put to sleep in 1939 at the age of 29 years and five months. It is hard to tell how old he would have been if he had died naturally.

BUTCH

Butch is a Beagle who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records in their pet section as living for 28 years before passing over. Prior to his death, his owner says his eyes were bright and his tails was also wagging to be petted and for treats. A real plus at his age was when Butch would “let loose” and run around the house, as beagles typically will do!

BRAMBLE

Owned by Anne Heritage, a collie by the name of Bramble from Bridgewater, Somerset, had lived to the age of 27 years of age and was at one time Britain’s oldest living dog. Before passing away, she was still alert and went for a walk four times a day while being fed a vegetarian diet of rice, lentils and organic vegetables. Once a week Bramble was taken to a canine hydrotherapy pool for swimming exercises, in order to help heal a seriously injured back which had occurred from a previous bad fall. Previously, Britain had a pedigree Papillion by the name of Fred who had died in 2000 at the age of 29. Blue was a just a few months older than Fred when he died.

(canined.com dog pictures’ photostream)

HOW TO FIGURE DOG’S AGE

Figuring a dog’s age is a lot different than most people think. Typically, it is thought that one dog year equals seven human years. But according to experts this is not an accurate count even though the general public uses it as such. At the age of ten years of age, an aging dog is like a 65-year old human; at age 12, a dog will be like a 75-year old human; and finally…a dog that is 15 of our years is like a 90-year human…not the 105-years of age which uses the 7-year calculation.Dog age ratio is higher when they are young, decreasing as the dog begins to age. Of course, this depends on the breed and what type of life experiences the dog has gone through. Typical dog experiences place a raging teenager mentality around eight months to two years. Normally, a six-year old dog has the mentality and age of a 45-year old human, which is a full maturation time frame.

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