Guinness Hails Spike, the World’s Oldest Dog

A nearly blind, somewhat deaf chihuahua in Camden, Ohio is recognized this week by the Guinness World Records. At 23 years and 44 days old [as of January 20], the dog named Spike has been crowned the world’s oldest canine.

Spike was already a mature fellow of ten years when he was found abandoned at a grocery but he was not in great shape, according to Guinness. “He had been shaved up his back, had blood stains around his neck from a chain or rope, and looked pretty rough,” said Spike’s owner Rita Kimball. “The clerk in the grocery told us he had been there for three days, and they were feeding him scraps.”

Spike followed Kimball to the parking lot and immediately adopted her. “We opened the car door … and Spike jumped right in and sat on the seat, as if he knew where we was going. It was meant to be.”

Thirteen years later Spike is on top of the world. What’s his secret? Probably not his diet, as he is partial to Doritos, and a typical dinner is braunschweiger with cheese. He continues to go on morning walks on a farm in his rural hometown (at least in the summer), where he visits with the cows, horses, and barn cats. 

“If it’s a good day, he will chase a cat or two,” said Kimball.

The chihuahua has a ways to go if he wants to match the oldest dog ever. That would be an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey, who was an incredible 29 years and five months when he crossed over Rainbow Bridge. Hang in there Spike, you got this.

Photo credit:  Guinness World Records