Forget about those wrinkle creams and fancy dog treats – Bobi, a Rafeiro do Alentejo from Portugal, lived to see 31 birthdays! That's right, this pup was older than our Happy Howl founder. Woof!
The Secret to Bobi's Long Life (Spoiler: It's Not Hot Dogs or Kibble)
So, how did Bobi avoid that doggy doomsday for so long? Believe it or not, it might have all been about his dinner plate. Well it's pretty simple. Bobi’s owners attributed Bobi’s age to the fact that he ate mostly what they ate and had plenty of exercise by roaming around their farm and interacting with plenty of people and animals on a daily basis. Who would’ve thought healthy food, sunlight, exercise, healthy social interactions and lots of love would produce a long and happy life?
Sharing is Caring (and Apparently, Age-Defying)
Here's the funny part: Bobi wasn't the only super senior pup who enjoyed people food. Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog who used to hold the "oldest dog" title, also ate what his humans ate. Seems like another debunk of the whole “don’t feed your dog people food” myth.
Science Says Sharing is Good
Think about it – dogs have been begging for bites of our food for over 12,000 years. They practically invented the puppy dog eyes! Maybe there's something to be said for giving them a taste of our meals and not just a bite of the leftovers.
Happy Howl: Because Your Pup Deserves a Good Meal Too!
We hear you saying, "But wait, I can't be whipping up gourmet meals every night!" That's where Happy Howl comes in. We offer yummy, human-grade dog food recipes that are just like the food you eat – only for pups! As some of you may know, our recipes are the same recipes that our founder, Colin, made in crockpots in his Philadelphia apartment for his husky, Rocky, who was living with an undiagnosed digestive disease and couldn't stomach traditional dog food and definitely wasn’t loving his prescription canned food.
When Colin learned how many other dog owners were dealing with similar issues he knew he had to get these recipes into the hands of as many dog owners as possible. He also admits there was some selfishness involved as well knowing he spent up to 12 hours per week making Rocky his food between food shopping, prepping, cooking, cleaning and storing.
The Easy Way to Feed Your Dog Like a Legend
Nobody wants to spend all day in the kitchen, especially not when you can be playing fetch with your furry friend. That's why Happy Howl uses a special slow-cooking method to create shelf-stable, human-grade dog food that's packed with flavor and doesn't have any icky artificial stuff in it. With Happy Howl, your pup can enjoy the same kind of food that might have helped Bobi become a legend, without you turning into a short-order cook.
Bobi's Legacy: A Bone to Pick with Guinness (and a Big Sniff of Respect)
Listen, we're totally bummed that Guinness World Records took away Bobi's title after he passed away because they said they couldn't prove his age. Guinness launched an investigation into the age of Bobi after an anonymous inquiry (hmm…) about Bobi’s age. They concluded that there was not enough evidence to verify Bobi’s age and stripped him of his title… after his death. Wait, the owners of a dog that they rescued in the Portuguese countryside couldn’t produce documentation of the exact date Bobi was born? Well, if you’ve ever rescued a dog, even in the US where documentation and registration fees are required for literally everything, most rescue dogs don’t come with a birth certificate from the Social Security Administration. The best you can do is rely on a Veterinarian for a ballpark birthdate and use that moving forward. Seems like a great way to not only take something away from a cute dog after it’s passing, but also discount the fact that Bobi ate human food his entire life. Shame!
The whole thing just shows how important Bobi's story is – feeding your dog human-grade food might be the secret to a long and happy life (and maybe even help them live as long as Bobi… we’ll have to wait and see!).
Don't let your dog become another kibble victim! Try Happy Howl and see the wagging difference delicious, human-grade food can make! Plus, if your dog lives past the age of 30, we’ll believe you!