The world’s oldest living dog is 21. Here’s how his owner keeps him fit

When Florida resident Gisela Shore decided to adopt a dog she named TobyKeith, she had no idea that 21 years later, Guinness World Records would proclaim him the world’s "oldest dog living."

She just knew the puppy in a box needed a loving home.

An elderly couple had contacted the nonprofit Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach, Florida, to surrender the Chihuahua puppy. Shore, who volunteers for the organization, went to their house to assess the situation and try to find a way for them to keep their pet.“The woman told me that she was in very bad health and she just couldn’t take care of the puppy. Her husband had just been diagnosed with cancer,” Shore, 54, told TODAY. “She was too overwhelmed. She had the puppy in a box and he was itty-bitty, maybe 2 pounds max. After hearing her story, I said, ‘OK, I’ll take him.’ So I took him — and it was love at first sight.”

Keep Dry Dog Food Fresh in a Sealed Container. Dog food can start to loose it’s freshness after it’s open. If you buy bags of dog food use an airtight sealed container to store it, the food will stay fresh for much longer inside a tightly sealed container.

Shore adopted the pup she renamed TobyKeith — she’s a fan of the musician, and also thought it would be funny for a little dog to be named for a big guy — and he has been a “rock” for her for more than two decades. The dog has seen her through good and bad times, including a divorce and, happily, a new marriage.

TobyKeith still had a reddish coat in 2004. At age 21, his fur is virtually all white.

TobyKeith welcomes all of the puppies and dogs Shore fosters for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League — more than 150 pets so far — as well as other family members, including Shore’s husband, Bill; rescued dogs Lala and Luna; and parrots Coco and Coqui, an African grey who tells the dogs “Come on in!” after they potty outside.

Make Your Dog Their Own Digging Box. If your dog loves to dig keep you can keep your garden safe by teaching them to use their very own digging box.

TobyKeith hangs out with fellow rescue dogs Luna, a bulldog, and Lala, a Chinese crested dog.

“I call him my bodyguard. He’s always with me,” she said.

Though TobyKeith is of legal drinking age, since alcohol is toxic to dogs, he didn’t celebrate his milestone birthday on Jan. 9 with libations in a red Solo cup as his namesake might — he did proceed to party. He feasted on his favorite treat — a bit of a carrot muffin — and got a bath and a pedicure before taking a car ride.

“He loves car rides, so that’s how he celebrated,” Shore said.

Use a Bright Colored Bandana On Your Dog During Hunting Season. Make sure both you & your dog stick out if you’re going to be out walking during hunting season. You can wear bright colors (orange is preferred), and you can help keep your dog safe by having them wear a bright orange bandana.

He got to do it all over again a few months later when Guinness World Records named TobyKeith the world’s oldest dog living. He even got a framed certificate to recognize his achievement.

“Even my family’s shocked at how physically, he looks great,” she said. “He looks like maybe a 10-year-old dog.”

Remarkably, TobyKeith still has all of his teeth. He was recently diagnosed with heart disease due to his advanced age, so he takes medication to manage it but is otherwise healthy.

To help prove TobyKeith’s age and longevity, Gisela Shore sent Guinness World Records all sorts of documentation, including veterinary records, photos from throughout the years, and a current photo of her dog with a newspaper to prove he was still alive.

Care for your pet. Regular visits to the vet and groomer are absolutely necessary. Insuring your pet may also be important to your pet’s health. Emergencies can happen at any time. Ensure your pet gets the help he needs no matter the cost with pet insurance.

So what’s the key to helping a dog live a long and healthy life? Shore — who also had a cockapoo named Lucy live to be 18 — says the secret recipe includes quality veterinary care, a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight, exercise, genetics, luck — and of course, plenty of love.

Gisela Shore, a sales representative who emigrated from Cuba with her parents when she was 5 years old, has loved animals since she was a child. She still gets “butterflies” in her stomach thinking of her first dog, Lucy, who lived to be 18 years old. “I’ve always surrounded myself with animals, especially dogs,” she told TODAY.

Shore feeds TobyKeith prescription kibble for small senior dogs from Hill’s Science Diet, which she tops with a vegetable puree since a veterinarian years ago suggested incorporating vegetables like carrots into his diet.

Use a Front Clip Harness to Prevent Pulling on Leash. If your dog pulls on his leash get a harness that clips in the front. The harnesses that clip on the back promote more pulling. And when you’re working on leash manners ditch the retractable leash for a regular 6 foot one so your dog can get the feeling of what loose leash walking means.

She emphasized the importance of regular veterinary visits to develop meal plans and other care strategies to help pets live longer. For instance, she never leaves out food for the animals to “free feed” throughout the day — instead, she offers meals to make sure she knows exactly how much they’re eating.

“If people are going to talk about TobyKeith, I hope it could get someone to look into adopting — or look at their dogs and say, ‘Gosh, my dog is maybe a little overweight and I need to get them on a diet and the right type of food so they do live a little longer,” she said.

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: When your dog is carefully choosing the perfect place to do his business, it is because they prefer to go poop in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field.

TobyKeith curls up with his best friend, rescued American bulldog Luna, age 7. “They do everything together,” adopter Gisela Shore told TODAY.

TobyKeith’s longevity is also highlighting the fact that shelter dogs can live long, healthy lives — and the crucial role of fosters and adopters in giving them that chance, according to Rich Anderson, CEO and executive director of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.“We’re excited that TobyKeith is bringing more attention to rescue animals that are in shelters needing new homes,” he told TODAY. “TobyKeith has turned out to be one heck of a spokesperson for all the shelter animals around the country.”

Dryer Sheets Pick up Dog Hair Like Crazy. Looking for a simple way to pick up some of that dog hair? Use dryer sheets. They pick up loose dog hair on fabric like magic. Just rub a dryer sheet over your couch or wherever else pet hair collects and watch as it clings right to it.

TobyKeith is one of more than 7,000 homeless pets rescued and rehomed by the nonprofit Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League each year. More than 1,000 volunteers, including Gisela Shore, help achieve that by fostering pets for the organization.

He said it’s a misconception that all shelter animals are “broken” or unhealthy. Often, like TobyKeith, they wind up in shelters through no fault of their own, such as when people face financial difficulties, health problems or life changes like divorce.

More than 1,000 volunteer fosters like Gisela Shore help the organization save more than 7,000 homeless pets each year.

Stuff a Kong With Treats to Keep Them Busy. Stuff a Kong with some yummy treats to keep your dog occupied, and for a tougher challenge you can freeze them in there. You don’t need fancy dog treats or stuffing either – here’s 39 food & treats I like to Stuff in Kongs.

“TobyKeith truly does reflect the importance of foster homes,” he said. “We only have so much space in shelters to care for lost and abandoned animals, and fosters allow us to expand our impact and save more lives."