The world's oldest dog dies at 147 years of age...
 

NEW YORK ? A wire-haired dachshund that held the record as the world's oldest dog and celebrated its last birthday with a party at a dog hotel and spa has died at age 21 ? or 147 in dog years.

The dog, named Chanel, died Friday of natural causes at her owners' home in suburban Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.

Chanel, as stylish as her legendary namesake, wore tinted goggles for her cataracts in her later years and favored sweaters because she was sensitive to the cold, owners Denice and Karl Shaughnessy said Monday.

The playful dachshund was only 6 weeks old when Denice Shaughnessy, then serving with the U.S. Army, adopted her from a shelter in Newport News, Va.

Along with her owner, Chanel spent nine years on assignment in Germany, where she became adept at stealing sticks of butter from kitchen countertops and hiding them in sofa cushions in the living room, Shaughnessy said. She also liked chocolate, usually considered toxic to dogs, Shaughnessy said.

"She once ate an entire bag of Reese's peanut butter cups, and, you see, she lived to be 21, so go figure," Shaughnessy added.

Karl Shaughnessy nominated Chanel for the title of world's oldest dog after noticing the Guinness World Records book had no record.

Guinness World Records officials presented Chanel with a certificate as the world's oldest dog at a Manhattan birthday bash hosted by a private pet food company in May.

Chanel loved the party, especially the cake, which had a peanut butter flavor and had been made for dogs, Denice Shaughnessy said.

Chanel exercised daily and ate home-cooked chicken with her dog food, but good care wasn't entirely responsible for her long life, said her owners, who attributed God.

"Dogs are God's angels sent here to look out for us," Denice Shaughnessy said.

A dog from New Iberia, La., named Max, is vying for the record of world's oldest dog. Owner Janelle Derouen said Max marked his 26th birthday on Aug. 9. She said Guinness World Records officials were reviewing documents to authenticate his age; a Guinness World Records official in London didn't immediately answer an e-mail from The Associated Press requesting confirmation of that.

When asked the secret to her dog's long life, Derouen said she was shocked he's still with her.

"I have five kids, and all my kids are grown and gone," she said. "Now my grandkids are playing with this dog."

A neighbor's dog is way over 21 years old. She was middle-aged when we moved in 1991, and she's still alive. Still roaming the neighborhood. Slowly.

Edit: Now I need to get a picture of Murphy. That dog's older than the hills.

Its interesting they didn't have a listing for that in the record books. Over the years I have known several dogs over 21 years of age.

Bullshit dogs live well over 21 all the time. I think it should read 31?

My family dog was 20 when it died. I don't think 21 is anything spectacular - like posted above I'm sure 21 is pretty common although the problem is to authenticate the age with "Birth Certificates" to get in the records....

"dog years".. I've always wondered if this is a global phenomenon, or just a US or so-called Western oddity?

RIP lil doggy.

Skuftys in the record books - Sleazy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...--aged-29.html

I just don't get how 21 is the record right now. My oldest dog is 13 and is still like a puppy.

he just turned 9, and he bites people that call him old, unless they have some food

Who the fuck came up with this stupid 1 dog year is 7 human years bullshit. 1 dog year is 1 human year.

thats pretty old

Doggy link... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obit_world_s_oldest_dog

21 is old, but I've known plenty of dogs that made it past that...

yeah I have known other dogs that age