Guinness World Records declared Gino, a 22-year-old Chihuahua mix oldest living dog. His owner, Alex Wolf, was a sophomore at the University of Colorado when he and his roommates decided to adopt a dog.
The three roomies were checking out the aisles at Boulder Humane Society when they saw Gino, the chihuahua, staring up at them.
“He wasn’t my first choice,” Wolf told People. “I anticipated getting a bigger dog because that’s what I was used to growing up, in the mountains and coming from L.A.”
However, the next thing Wolf knew, he had taken to Gino despite the dog being a tiny mixed breed.
He said, “I was the one as an animal lover taking full responsibility for him. And he’s been by my side ever since.”
Wolf, now 40, took Gino to his parent’s house in Los Angeles after completing the second year at the university. The dog stayed there until his adoptive human companion graduated and lived with him for half of his life.
Although Gino is in relatively good shape for his grand old age, his vision and hearing are gradually worsening, Guinness World Records said in a release confirming him as the oldest living dog. However, he’s now living a life of peace and enjoying being wheeled around in a wagon.
“At this point, we’re just making sure he’s comfortable and well taken care of,” Wolf said, adding that he feeds his OAP (old-age pooch) a variety of foods along with a special concoction of “goat’s milk, pumpkin powder and fish oil.”
