Oldest living dog is a Chihuahua mix near Dayton, Guinness World Records says

Monroe Trombly, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
At 23 years old, a Chihuahua mix from Camden, Ohio, named Spike is the oldest living dog in the world, according to Guinness World Records.
At 23 years old, a Chihuahua mix from Camden, Ohio, named Spike is the oldest living dog in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

Could Doritos chips be the secret to a long life?

Well, it's worked for Spike, a Chihuahua mix who according to Guinness World Records is the world's oldest living dog.

"In his early years, he loved Doritos,” said owner Rita Kimball, of Camden, Ohio. “He liked them crunched up and would eat the cheese Doritos every time we had them.”

Spike as of Dec. 7 was 23 years and 43 days old. The dog who lives in Preble County near Dayton is 9 inches tall and weighs 12.9 pounds.

Kimball told Guinness World Records that she and her family found Spike in the parking lot of a Camden grocery store about 13 years ago. He was 10 years old at the time, though it's unclear from Guinness' article how Kimball determined his age.

“He had been shaved up his back, had blood stains around his neck from a chain or rope and looked pretty rough,” Kimball said. “The clerk in the grocery told us he had been there for three days, and they were feeding him scraps.”

Taking pity on the poor fellow, Kimball decided to take him home with her. “When we left the store and entered the parking lot, he followed,” she said.

In his early years, Spike would gorge himself on Doritos chips, his owner says.
In his early years, Spike would gorge himself on Doritos chips, his owner says.

So, what's the secret to old age for a canine?

Doritos aside, it's a healthy diet, room to roam, daily exercise and unlimited love and attention, according to Kimball.

A typical day in the life of Spike includes visiting Kimball's farm animals and napping on the front porch when it's warm out.

“When he was younger, he tried intimidating the cows and horses by barking and trying to chase them,” Kimball said. “Now they just stare at him and don’t even move.”

On weekends, he has a bath and is occasionally treated to Braunschweiger sausage with cheese.

When not napping, Spike enjoys playing cat and mouse with Foxy the housecat and hiding his toy fox around the house.
When not napping, Spike enjoys playing cat and mouse with Foxy the housecat and hiding his toy fox around the house.

When not napping, Spike enjoys playing cat and mouse with Foxy the housecat and hiding his toy fox around the house.

It was during an episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" that Kimball realized her dog was older than the one being discussed on TV.

“Most of our family knew that Spike was old but didn’t know he had a shot at being the oldest in the world,” said Rita. “Now that he is a record holder, they see him as a celebrity.”

Monroe Trombly covers breaking and trending news.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Guinness World Records: Oldest living dog hails from Camden, Ohio