Meet Pebbles, world’s oldest dog who recently passed
Are you fond of dogs or have a canine friend at home? If yes, haven’t you always wished that they have longer lifespans? After all, they aren’t just man’s best friend, they are indeed one of the most loving and loyal animals in the universe.
One such cherished dog named Pebbles passed away at the grand old age of 22. Wondering what’s so special about her? Well, this toy fox terrier was a Guinness World Record holder for being the world’s oldest living dog, until recently.
Pebbles breathed her last on 3rd October in Taylors, South Carolina, USA, the place she called home for more than two decades and in presence of his loved ones. Unfortunately, the tiny terrier succumbed only five months prior to turning 23. However, sources cite that her death was a peaceful one and was from natural causes.
Pebbles was born on 28th March 2000 at Long Island in New York and was adopted by the Taylors-based Gregory family that very year. She had a long-time partner in Rocky (also a fox terrier who had died in 2016 at the age of 16) and together they had birthed 32 puppies, in three distinct litters. For most of her life, Pebbles weighed 4 lbs and enjoyed playing, running around, listening to country music and trying out new food. In 2012, for a prolonged period, her veterinarian had put her on a cat food diet comprising of high meat-based protein.
As for securing a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, that happened in May this year when her owners and Bobby and Julie Gregory realised that their pet dog was older (22 years and 50 days old at the time of crowning) than their earlier dog, a 21-year-old chihuahua named Toby Keith.
For those unaware, a toy fox terrier is a small-sized terrier dog breed, a direct descendant of the larger smooth fox terrier. Particularly native to the USA, it has been existing since 1936. Also known by the nicknames American toy terrier and Amertoy, they were primarily meant for fox hunting and were thus muscular and athletic. Its notable characteristics include a short glossy white fur with occasional patches of black and tan, a solid head, V-shaped ears, large and sharp eyes and a short, yet high-set tail. The four-legged animal usually weighs somewhere between 3.5 to 9 lbs. They are known to be active, intelligent and responsive to human communication, making them ideal companions. Their life expectancy usually ranges between 13 and 15 years.