When a brown-and-white puppy named Bobi was born on 11 May 1992, the world looked very different.

Yugoslavia was fracturing, Los Angeles was still smouldering after riots, and the Maastricht Treaty was fresh ink on European history.

That puppy would go on to witness more global change than almost any dog in recorded history.

Bobi, a Rafeiro do Alentejo from Portugal, has died aged 31 years and 165 days. His lifespan shattered records and stunned veterinarians worldwide.

He passed away on 21 October in the village of Conqueiros, where he had lived his entire life with the Costa family.

Guinness World Records confirmed Bobi as the oldest dog ever recorded earlier this year. The organisation later said it was “saddened” by his death.

Until Bobi, the record belonged to Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 aged 29 years and five months. Bobi did not just break that record. He left it far behind.

Bobi officially took the title of world’s oldest living dog in February, surpassing Spike, a chihuahua from Ohio who was 23 at the time.

Bobi’s age was verified through Portugal’s National Union of Veterinarians and local veterinary records in Leiria, confirming his birth year as 1992.

A Life That Almost Never Began

Bobi’s extraordinary life nearly ended before it truly began. When he was born, his family considered him and his three male siblings surplus to requirements.

At the time, unwanted animals were often buried alive, a grim reality in rural Portugal during that era.

Leonel Costa, who was just eight years old then, remembers what happened next. While his parents prepared to dispose of the puppies, Bobi hid inside a stack of wood in an outbuilding.

That instinct, or pure luck, saved his life.

Leonel and his brothers discovered Bobi and secretly adopted him. He soon became part of the family, growing into a gentle livestock guardian dog.

Costa later said that what happened to Bobi’s siblings was sadly normal at the time.

“Unfortunately, older people believed that burying unwanted animals was acceptable,” Costa explained. Bobi escaped that fate and stayed with the family for more than three decades.

He lived freely on the family’s land, roaming without chains or confinement. Costa believes that freedom played a major role in Bobi’s long life.

Diet, Genetics, and a Calm Life

Costa has often credited Bobi’s calm surroundings and simple diet for his exceptional longevity. The dog ate what the family ate, though Costa soaked Bobi’s food in water to remove seasoning.

Bobi never consumed processed dog food and avoided the stress common to many modern pets.

Genetics may also have played a role. Bobi’s mother, Gira, lived to 18 years old. Another family dog, Chicote, reached the age of 22. Still, Bobi surpassed them all by a significant margin.

Veterinarian Dr Karen Becker met Bobi several times and announced his death online. “Last night, this sweet boy earned his wings,” she wrote, alongside photos of a cheerful, elderly Bobi. “Despite outliving every dog in history, his days on Earth would never be enough for those who loved him.”

Rafeiro do Alentejo dogs typically live between 12 and 14 years. Bobi more than doubled that expectation.

Costa reflected on his companion earlier this year, saying, “We see this as a result of the life he had. But Bobi is one of a kind.”

From a hidden puppy spared a shallow grave to a global record holder, Bobi’s life became a quiet testament to care, calm, and second chances.