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A rescue dog has taken the title for the world’s oldest living dog after being found some 13 years ago in a parking lot.

The former title holder, TobyKeith, was confirmed to be the world’s oldest living dog on March 16, 2022.

Now, as of December 7, 2022, a new pooch has snatched the record, and that dog is a chihuahua named Spike.

The Guinness World Records shared about Spike on Facebook, saying:

“Say hello to the new oldest dog in the world! The record holding su-paw-star, who was 23 years and 43 days old as of 7 December 2022, stands at 9 inches (22.86 cm) tall and weighs just 12.9 pounds (5.85 kg).”

The organization went on to explain that Spike had been through a lot in his long life and things weren’t always easy for him. They said, “Rita Kimball found Spike in the parking lot of a Camden, Ohio, USA, grocery store, she had no idea the little Chihuahua would still be her pet over 13 years later – let alone become the oldest dog living.”

Many people wanted to know just how Spike’s age was validated since he was found in a parking lot and there was no way for Kimball to know his age. Guinness World Records explained in the comments of the post that Spike’s age was determined from “several veterinarians, who all estimated the same approximate date of birth between July and November of 1999.” The veterinarians determined his age based on his medical condition, including his eyes and teeth.

According to PetMd, veternarians can offer a ballpark guess of a dog’s age based on things like teeth and age, but genetics, breed, and lifestyle play a major role and the number is a guess at best.

Embark Veterinary further adds, “The truth is, age is difficult to determine in dogs…The range is even greater for small-breed dogs, because they reach maturity faster and age more slowly than larger dogs.”

While Spike is definitely up there in age, it’s hard to say for sure his exact age. Even so,

Ian Warkentin

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.

Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.