23-year-old Spike is the oldest dog in the world

The results are in, and it’s official! According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s oldest dog is Spike, a 23-year-old Chihuahua. At the end of 2022, Gino, a 22-year-old hybrid, was crowned the oldest person. But Spike has now taken the title.

Spike may be small, but he has a lot of attitude and he’s been living his entire life on a ranch in rural Ohio.

Ten years ago, Rita first noticed the little guy while he was spending time in the parking lot of a grocery store. The staff there had been sneaking his scraps for about three days, but he’s still not in top shape.

“He was shaved from his back, had blood around his neck from chains or ropes, and looked pretty rough,” Rita said.

She’s considered the pint-sized dog a member of her family since the day she opened the car door and it jumped right in. The couple have been inseparable ever since and they have lived a lovely life together.

“When we left the store and entered the parking lot, he followed. We opened the car door to put our grandson in the car seat, and Spike jumped right in and sat in the seat, like he knew where we were going. That’s what it means,” she said.

When asked what she believes is the key to her dog’s longevity, Rita said she thinks it’s her dog’s daily routine. Spike starts his day around 7:00 am. Sometimes he skips breakfast a bit, and other times he wakes up with cravings. On summer weekends, he would go for a walk with his mother in their hometown, and then when they returned home, Spike would take a nap on the porch.

On other days, Spike likes to go straight to visit animals (cows, horses and cats) in the stables. When he feels particularly hot-tempered, he likes to chase a cat or two.

Spike also likes to shower on Saturday nights and Occasionally, he enjoys a braunschweiger with cheese for dinner. Speaking of cheese, Spike used to love the taste of cheese pieces.

“In his early years, he fell in love with Doritos. He likes them deep-fried and will eat Doritos cheese every time we eat them,” she said.

Rita said that Spike’s healthy diet, space to roam, daily exercise, unlimited love and care are the things that have contributed the most to his long life. The tiny puppy may be just 9 inches tall, but it sure takes up a huge amount of space in her heart.

Featured pictures: Facebook