The Guinness World Record has crowned Pebbles, a 22-year-old Toy Fox Terrier living in Taylors, South Carolina, as the oldest dog alive. This has broken the previous record held by TobyKeith, a 21-year-old Chihuahua. The Chihuahua won the title on March 16, 2022, with its age verified at 21 years, 66 days.
Bobby and Julie Gregory, who own the dog, discovered that their pet could also compete for the title after hearing about TobyKeith. While speaking with Guinness, Julie said, “Bobby was sitting on the couch and friends and family started texting and calling about a story they saw about a 21-year-old dog getting the record. When I saw TobyKeith’s story all over the news, I applied.”
Pebbles has been with the Gregorys throughout everything
Although the Gregorys never thought that Pebbles could win the title, they were highly pleased that their dog was the new record holder.
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“Pebbles has been with us through everything, ups and downs, good times and bad, and she has always been the beacon of our lives. We truly love her more than anything, so for her to have this time to shine is truly precious to us,” Julie Gregory said. According to Julie, “most of the people that know Pebbles can’t believe how long she has lived. They always joke about it and tell us all the time how amazing it is that we still have her as most of them had known us over 20 years and remember when we got her.”
While describing the dog’s daily activities, Julie Gregory commented, “Pebbles is like a wild teen who loves sleeping during the day and is up all night. She loves listening to country music while she is sleeping. Her two favorite country singers are Conway Twitty and Dwight Yokum. She also loves to have fun, which comprises snuggling under the blankets, relaxing under a palm tree located in the backyard of the Gregorys, and going for walks with Bobby Gregory.”
The oldest dog alive, Pebbles, is a foodie
Since 2012, Pebble’s regular diet has been replaced with cat food because there is a higher level of meat-based protein in it, thus making it better for Pebbles than the typical dog food. Apart from her food, Guinness noted that she is also treated to a steak or chicken burger on some occasions. For instance, on the occasion of her 22nd birthday, the Gregorys gave her a stack of ribs and a warm bubble bath.
Julie Gregory shares tips on how to make a dog live long
In Julie’s own words, she says that the secret for a dog to have a long life is to “treat them like family because they are. Also, give them a happy, positive environment as much as possible, good clean food, and proper healthcare.”