Max (August 9, 1983 – May 18, 2013) was a
beagle,
dachshund
The dachshund ( or ; German: "badger dog"), also known as the wiener dog, badger dog, and sausage dog, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, and comes in a variety of c ...
, and
terrier mix from
Louisiana whose owner claimed had lived to 29 years and 282 days.
His owner, Janelle Derouen, said she adopted him from a Louisiana sugar cane farmer in 1983.
Life
According to Max’s owner, he was adopted from a sugar cane farmer in 1983. His diet mostly consisted of dry
dog food with some beef
dog bones. It was reported in August 2009, that he only suffered from mild
arthritis
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
and
cataracts.
Max died of a tonic-clonic seizure on May 18, 2013 at a claimed age of 29 years and 282 days. According to veterinarians, his seizure was a result of his old age.
Verification
In 2009, ''
The Telegraph'' reported that Max's owner had a veterinary birth certificate from 1983 that would have proved he was the oldest living dog at 26.
These records were provided to
Guinness World Records in hopes that Max would be recognized as the oldest living dog.
At Max's claimed age of 29 on May 15, 2013, the claim by DeRouen was purported to have been approved to be recognized as the world's oldest dog.
However, just three days later, on May 18, Max died.
As of 2024, the dog considered by Guinness World Records as the oldest to have ever lived is
Bluey, an
Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), or simply Cattle Dog, is a breed of herding dog originally developed in Australia for droving cattle over long distances across rough terrain. This breed is a medium-sized, short-coated dog that occurs in two m ...
reported to have lived 29 years and 5 months.
Max’s age was claimed to have been older than Bluey’s, but the claim has not been recognized by the brand. Another dog that was claimed to have lived longer is
Bobi, a
Rafeiro do Alentejo
The is a Portuguese breed of livestock guardian dog. It is named for its area of origin, the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. It is recognised by the Clube Português de Canicultura, and was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynolo ...
from Portugal that was claimed to have lived 31 years and 165 days. Guinness World Records revoked its certification of Bobi's longevity in 2024 after concluding there was insufficient evidence to support the claim.
See also
*
List of longest living dogs
*
List of individual dogs
References
External links
ABC News video - ''Old Bones: The World's Oldest Dog''
1983 animal births
2013 animal deaths
Individual dogs in the United States
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