‘World’s oldest living’ dog Spike turned 26 — and his diet isn’t what most vets recommend

The title was taken in 2023 and given to another dog, but updated records soon restored him to the top.

PUBLISHED 8 HOURS AGO

Dog sitting in front of cake with candle. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | O_Lypa)

An Ohio farm is home to a dog whose age has quietly reset a global record. Spike, a small Chihuahua with a long and unlikely life, has reached an age few dogs ever approach. His story stayed mostly local for years, despite surviving danger, illness, and time itself. That changed when official records placed him at the top, briefly removed him, and then reinstated his title. Spike turned 26 on November 10, 2025, a milestone that once more confirmed his status as the world’s oldest living dog and reminded many how easily such an extraordinary life can go unnoticed.

A woman hugging an old Chihuahua dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Cavan Images / Pippa Samaya)

As reported by WHIOTV 7 News on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Spike lives with the Kimball family in Camden, Ohio, and became part of their lives unexpectedly in 2009. Owner Rita Kimball said they found him wandering in a grocery store parking lot. The owner then added how she was accompanied by her daughter and grandson, and the minute they "opened the door to put the grandson in the car seat, Spike jumped right in the car.” A man nearby in the grocery store told them, “Take that dog away, he’s been here three days.” While the family was not looking for a pet at that time, Spike was in poor condition, so they took him to a vet for help.

A vet holding a small Chihuahua puppy. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Kateryna Kukota) — A vet holding a small Chihuahua. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Kateryna Kukota)

From the start, it was clear Spike was not a young dog. Looking at his teeth, the vet said he was at least ten years old. Over the years, Spike survived major incidents, including a severe Pit Bull attack in 2015 and then a coyote attack on the family’s farm two years later in 2017. “He’s just been a tough little guy,” Kimball said. After the Pit Bull attack, another vet reviewed his condition. “He's only been to three different types of vets," Kimball explained. The final veterinarian reassessed Spike’s age by examining his arthritis and overall physical condition, noting that each estimate fell within two to three months of the same age range. That process led them to agree on November 10, 1999, as his birth date.

Spike was first named the world’s oldest living dog on December 7, 2022, after verification with Guinness World Records. The title was later taken from him in 2023 and given to another dog, but recent confirmation placed Spike back at the top due to updated records. Kimball recalled how she learned the news. “We just found out this past Thursday, they called me and let me know that he officially was the world’s oldest dog,” she said. Kimball said the family never focused on titles. “It’s just a piece of paper. We know he’s the oldest living dog,” she shared with the outlet earlier. Today, Spike eats home-cooked meals like “chicken livers, roast beef, and turkey,” and naps, cuddles, and travels with the family, living comfortably in his record-setting years.