When you become a dog parent, you make a long-term commitment. Get a dog as a puppy and they might be in your life for a decade or more. But 23 years?
Spike, a Chihuahua mix from Ohio, has become the world’s oldest living dog, per the Guinness World Records. On Dec. 7, he was 23 years and 43 days old. The pup is around nine inches tall and weighs 12.9 pounds.
Found in a Parking Lot
Dog mom Rita Kimball found him in the parking lot of a grocery store in the Ohio village of Camden over 13 years ago, when he was ten years old, People reports.
“He had been shaved up his back, had blood stains around his neck from a chain or rope, and looked pretty rough,” she told the Guinness World Records. “The clerk in the grocery told us he had been there for three days, and they were feeding him scraps.”
She left the store with her family, and upon entering the parking lot Spike followed them. As she didn’t know if he had any dog parents, her family gave him a home on their small farm. She gave him the name Spike after a famous cartoon dog – though this one was big and aggressive. In contrast, Spike is small and friendly, though he does have the attitude of a big dog.
“He is friendly but since he’s almost blind and hard of hearing, he gets testy at times and just wants to be left alone,” she explained – certainly understandable at his age!
The Life of a Chihuahua
Rita said that she puts his long life down to his routine, diet, exercise, love, and attention. He wakes up early, has breakfast, and visits the animals around the farm before taking a nap on the porch.
His favorite hobbies include playing with their house cat, hiding his fox toy, and taking naps. He sometimes enjoys a Braunschweiger sausage with cheese for dinner, and will have Doritos as an occasional treat.
“I believe Spike is still here because after having such a terrible life at first, he makes the best of each day,” said Rita.
