How Old Is/was Your Oldest Dog?

[Staffyluv]

Our oldest family dog was a GSD 'Rinny' - he was 16 when he was given his wings.

My oldest dog (I have only had 3 on my own + fosters), was Ollie and he was 14.5 when we gave him his wings back in October 2011. I still miss him every single day.

Ollie was mostly deaf for the last couple of years - loud noises never woke him, he didn't hear people coming and going but he could hear a treat packet opening from a couple of rooms away :)

[tdierikx]

Zeddy can be selectively deaf... mostly at the dog park when she's catching up with her doggy friends... she can hear the feed bin opening from right up the back of the yard though...

T.

[miss2]

My last 2 girls were 14 and 15.

Schnebbie the younger one was blind so we put a bell on rosie’s (the older one) collar so schneb could listen and follow her around – it worked so well for the last 4 years of her life :)

Rosie was nearly 16 and We made the decision the put her down. I remember my dad went out to the back yard to dig the hole. Rosie wandered outside to where dad was digging a hole and sat with him the whole time. Then when we went inside for dinner she stayed out there and lay down next to the hole, it was heart breaking.

We had her PTS the next day and 2 weeks later had our other girl also PTS because her health went down hill so much, the vet said she gave up

[BC Crazy]

Zeddy is 15 today...

She's not as fast as she used to be, and has a bit of arthritis in the back legs, but her hearing and sight are still good. Has made it through this winter without the need of any meds for the arthritis. Still enjoys going to the dog park on the odd occasion. She's been fed all sorts over the years, but is currently on Supercoat and doing very nicely on it. She is kept on condition and not allowed to get fat, which I reckon is the key to her longevity.

T.

Happy 15th Birthday Zedda

At the grand ol' age of 15 I think you will get to do whatever you want today girl & enjoy

[silentchild]

My first childhood dog 'Gina', was a Pomeranian that lived to 14 years old. She was healthy and fit as a fiddle until the day she died. I have no idea how she died... when I left for school in the morning she said goodbye as usual and when I got home she was dead. The vet suspected sudden heart attack. She ate only Pedigree dry food and the occasional table scraps that we would sneak to her under the table. Her favourite was chinese broccoli, lol. She had suffered a broken leg when she was younger from a dog attack but other than that she had absolutely no other health problems. She was kept entire and was never vaccinated (other than puppy vaccs) or treated for fleas, etc (we lived and grew up in a third world country where pet care was not a common or well-known thing), still she never saw a sick day in her life other than her broken leg which she recovered from super quickly after surgery to fix. She did see the vet every year for annual check ups.

She was an absolutely wonderful dog and the perfect dog for us to grow up with. She endured lots of childish games of hide and seek, long walks that were probably too much for her to handle, played Soldiers and Robbers and Dinosaurs with us, and was just generally an all-round incredible, amazing dog. Until today she is still the only dog I have ever had that knows how to fetch and loved it. She would sunbake right in the middle of the front porch and god forbid anyone wanted to move or park their cars - they'd just have to wait for her to be done. She was the real dame of the household. I will never forget the memory of the night Gina died and my mum was just standing in the kitchen cooking whilst tears streamed down her face into the hot wok. We buried her in our backyard with our own hands, my brother dug her grave, this young little boy crying as he dug and dug. We planted a Gardenia plant over her gravesite and now it flowers all year round. She made me fall in love with the Pomeranian breed and I swear later on in life I will have Poms again in her namesake to celebrate her memory.

[tdierikx]

Zeddy is getting birthday messages from lots of people... thanks heaps all!

When I think about it, the only illness Zeddy has ever had was a case of Kennel Cough about 7 years ago - all of my dogs got it then...

She's a very healthy specimen really... *grin*

T.

[harley]

My last 2 girls were 14 and 15.

Schnebbie the younger one was blind so we put a bell on rosie’s (the older one) collar so schneb could listen and follow her around – it worked so well for the last 4 years of her life :)

Rosie was nearly 16 and We made the decision the put her down. I remember my dad went out to the back yard to dig the hole. Rosie wandered outside to where dad was digging a hole and sat with him the whole time. Then when we went inside for dinner she stayed out there and lay down next to the hole, it was heart breaking.

We had her PTS the next day and 2 weeks later had our other girl also PTS because her health went down hill so much, the vet said she gave up

Oh wow

[moosmum]

My oldest was 18 years when we let him go.Got when I was 11 as a family dog, but always mine realy and came with me when I moved out of home at 18.

He came every where with the family on hollidays etc.in the days when off lead and wandering the neighbourhood was pretty standard. A beautiful looking boy, we always people stop and ask would we sell him . Also got pinched a couple times but found his way home with new collars or remains of rope.

He had to be left with another family at 6 for a year while my family were overseas and sat and howled when we we went to pick him up, then jumped in the car and refused to come out to say good by to his carers, but was back to his usual self at home with no ill effects.

He was a tri working mix, a little bigger than usual. Always lean and active on pal and similar foods but lots of table scraps and eggs and anything else I could sneak him. A very smart boy, I used to challenge people to think of some thing they wanted him to do and we would have him do with in 10 minutes.He traveled Aus. with the O.H and I and was a dog who went just about any where a dog has been and more. Never a problem in any situation and amazed my boss at the vets when he was taken in for a wound from a fight for his good nature and obedience. He just wandered around with me for the day taking care of the other animals and jumped up on the table and lay down to have his wound shaved.

Saved a neighbour girl from a dog attack,came on 15 k horse rides, 3 legged races at school, took part in parades.

A very hard goodby to a dog who was there while I grew up and up until the births of my own 3 kids.

Edited August 28, 2014 by moosmum

[BC Crazy]

My childhood dog, Sooty, a Corgi cross from Yagoona Pound was 6 weeks when we got him, Great little dog. Was as healthy as anything his whole life. Annual checks ups was the only time he had to go to the Vets. He was feed a medium grade dry food + table scraps+ sardines. He went 'missing' one day at 14 which he had never done, he was just so faithful. So this was completely out of character. Dad found him in the paddock & had to put him out of his misery. He had lost his battle with a huge paralysis tick

In adult life my rescue heart dog, Redman a red & white BC. I got him from under a guys house where he had lived for the first 15 months of his life pretty much. Apart from the VERY occasional meat pie, poor Red was feed nothing...The guy didn't want Red cause he let hm out once & he killed a chicken next door. I wonder why???? ERRRR.

Anyway I had him for almost 15 years & he was a fantastic dog. I loved him to pieces. He was feed premium dry food & human grade raw meat + sardines mostly. I worked as a cook so he did also get sample restaurant quality meals on occasion as well :p He never had a sick day in his life. He went deaf at 13.5 & his laricks collapsed as 14. I had them tied back & I gave him his wings 8 years ago, just shy of 15. Hardest day in my life ever but he is waiting for me at the bridge. Beautiful dog....

Edited August 28, 2014 by BC Crazy

[mita]

Our oldest was a little black mixed breed dog, Tessa, rescued as a puppy after being deliberately thrown from a car. She lived until she was nearly 23 years old. She looked like a cross between a Poodle & a Tibbie, but could've been simply from a long line of mixed breeds. We thought she must be old at age 14 years & we jokingly referred to her as 'Grandma'. She lived for years after & came to answer to 'Grandma'...not her name. So we had to change her name on everything... including her Council registration.

She used to go to the University of Qld Vet Clinic, where students would hold her in their arms, saying, 'This dog is older than I am!"

[ActuallyAngela]

My family's poodle was put down at age 16. We fed him cheap supermarket dog food, he was never desexed, barely trained, but lived a long and happy life. I was a little girl when we got him and an adult when he passed away, and a year earlier I'd unknowingly gone into early labour and he was acting so weird and wouldn't leave me alone and got *really* upset if I moved or anybody tried to get him away from me. I'll never forget that crazy dog.

[cloud]

My oldest dog is 15 years & four months. He's mostly blind, can see a little out of one eye, very deaf, has Cushings disease, which is kept in control well with treatment (Vetoryl) He has Meloxocam for pain relief and a Cartrophen injection once a month for his joints.

That's the downside, the upside is he loves his life. He sleeps in our bedroom, gets up at 5am for a wee and a wander around the garden before the other two dogs get up. Then whines until he gets breakfast. After breakfast its time for another lap of the garden. He gives 1 bark at the door when he's ready to come in. If we don't hear that he will head-butt the door until we open it. When the other dogs finally decide to go out he's off again organising them! When its cold he sleeps in front of the fire and as soon as the sun warms up he's following sun spots around the garden. His favourite time of the day is when I shout WALK and clap my hands and he's off racing around in circles like a puppy. Sometimes he stumbles, but he just picks himself up again. If one of the other dogs crashes into him they are in big trouble, put in place with a growl and a lunge towards them!

We've always had giant breeds, so obviously they don't live very long. He is the first little dog we've owned. Got him from a shelter as a puppy.

He looks like your typical Oodle, Poodle x Westie. Weight 13.2kg.

He is mostly mentally alert. For instance, we go away with work every couple of months for 2 nights and our daughter sleeps in our bedroom so she can hear him and put him out early. Sometimes he needs to go out during the night too. He usually spends most of the time sleeping when we are away, but on the 3rd night he won't move from the window until we get home, won't go for his walk or eat dinner, just stays glued to the window then does zoomies for 10 minutes when we walk in the door.

If my memory is correct I think one of our ACD, when I was a child on a farm, lived until he was almost 17.

[ish]

My Tiger is a pedigree GSD who turned 13 in May. I got her when she was 2 years old and she's been a kennel kept dog her whole life, because thats what she's always known and liked. She still runs up and down the runs with the dogs next to her in the mornings but of course does a lot of sleeping. She's fed Great Barko and had a vet visit early in the year for an ear infection, but no other health problems or vet visits for many years. The ear infection did seem to knock her balance a little bit but she's happy and very sound and mobile. Her eyes are quite cloudy but she hears fine. We trialled in her younger days and nothing makes her happier than being asked to do a recall in the paddock and get to run around with a toy as a reward!

[Little Gifts]

I love when they develop all that snow on their faces!

This was my previously black dog in her 16th year. Even her bum turned white!

Edited August 28, 2014 by Little Gifts

[Yonjuro]

My maltese terrier - Sarah lived to 17 years :)

[labadore]

I lost my oldest boy, a black Labrador, in Feb this year at 15yrs,8months old and he was my longest living Lab, but I was also fortunate enough to have another one of my gorgeous adopted black Lab boys live to 15 yrs of age as well. I found my oldest living boy in a pound about 6 weeks shy of his 10th birthday and wasn't planning on adopting him as I already had two black lab boys, but after meeting this beautiful boy, I just couldn't leave him there as his chances of being adopted were pretty slim. He was everything I could have ever asked for in a Lab and I bonded very deeply with this boy, he was just an exceptional dog and I miss him dearly

I was extremely lucky with this gorgeous boy as I believe genetics played a big part in this boy's longevity along with his "toughness". All my Labs have been very stoic, but this boy was the toughest of them all and I believed this toughness helped him tremendously in dealing with what was thrown his way. He was suffering from a number of health issues when I found him in the pound, so got all these issues addressed and it gave him a new lease on life to which he responded extremely well.

He was on cartrophen injections, jointguard and fish oil tablets for his arthritis and he loved his daily walks, car rides and frequent trips to the river right up to his last few days. He had lost his hearing and his eyesight wasn't the best, but he was fully mobile, loved his food, still played bitey faces with my Lab youngster and was still able to get up on the couch with some assistance for his nightly cuddle. He went downhill very suddenly and unexpectedly with suspected tumour and I had him pts at home a few days later. Here is a pic of him enoying some relaxation in the sun at his favourite park about a month after his 15th birthday.

[Jed]

My standard smooth dacshund, Cleo, lived to 23. She came from a very good breeder. She had 3 litters with no problems. She was my constant companion all her life - she arrived when I was 6. She competed in obedience. When she was young, she used to run around with me, (back in the day when kids ran around). She was last in every race and dog jumping contest we had. She once bit a friend who was chasing me around the lounge room and laughing - Cleo got up on the couch so she could reach!!

When she was a little older, she had a carrier on the back of my bike.

Then I got a car and she rode in style. she loved sitting on the parcel shelf. Like one of those nodding dog ornaments!!

I used to compete at the Royal every year, and she came too. She wandered around, doing her own thing, and everyone knew who she was. She didn't cause any problems. One year she was trotting down an alley, minding her own business, and two young policemen thought they could collar the stray dog, so they set off in hot pursuit - looking over her shoulder and seeing the law in hot pursuit, she broke into a gallop, and did what any pursued young lady would do, she whipped into the ladies. The constables stood outside, asking emerging ladies to bring them the dog - of course, no one would!! She loved sitting in the stands, sharing a dagwood dog or a sausage roll.

She coped with marriage (mine, not hers) and insisted that she still slept in the bed, under the blankets. She basically ignored the baby.

All her life, she was sharp and clever. At the end, she was looking frail, although her heart was as strong as could be. She slipped a disc, so we gave her a ticket over the rainbow bridge.

I don't ever remember her being sick, or particularly needing the vet. She ate scraps, raw offcuts from the butcher, bones, eggs, milk .... no canned or dry food then.

And a pup from each of her litters was shown, and titled. There were no long haired dacs in Qld then, but there were a few in her litters, so she produced some of the first long haired standard dacs shown in Qld.

Edited to add newspaper photo from the Royal - years ago. With the pony being shown, and dear Cleo. I lost all my photos, of course, but someone sent me this saved cutting.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Jed

[Rozzie]

Columbus, in his 22nd year.

Abbey, a week before her 21st birthday.

[Amax-1]

15 1/2 years old is the best I have had from a GSD who was a BYB from a pet shop in 1987. I heard a puppy yapping when working around a shopping centre one night....he was at the pet shop window yapping at my dog. First thing the next morning I went down and bought him for $150....what a great dog he was. Hips got him in the end although he was still reasonably healthy otherwise :)

[grumpette]

OMG there are some magnificently old, gorgeous and extremely loved dogs in this thread :D