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There’s a new record-setting chihuahua in the world, and he’s named after one of country music’s biggest artists: Toby Keith.
TobyKeith, the chihuahua, is now the oldest living dog, according to Guinness World Records. Residing in Greenacres, Florida, TobyKeith was born on January 9, 2001. He’d reached “the grand old age” of 21 years and 66 days on March 16. Owner Gisela Shore has had TobyKeith for the majority of that time, adopting him when he was just a few months old. Later, Shore’s two other dogs joined the family, in addition to her two parrots.
“I was a volunteer at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue and one of the employees told me about an elderly couple trying to surrender a puppy because they could not take care of him any longer,” Shore reflected to Guinness World Records. “I met with the elderly couple and I was introduced to a tiny tan Chihuahua. They had named him Peanut Butter. I later changed his name to TobyKeith. …It definitely brought a big smile on my face,” when the record was confirmed. Chihuahuas typically have a life expectancy of about 12 to 18 years, so TobyKeith has far exceeded the average lifespan, Guiness World Records noted. Shore believes TobyKeith’s regular exercise and healthy diet has helped him live such a long life. He’s described as “spunky, friendly and sweet.”
Keith — the “Peso In My Pocket” singer — shared the story of the record-setting chihuahua on his Instagram Story. Meet the dog TobyKeith here: