World's Oldest Dog May Have a New Contender

Hold onto your leashes, boys and girls! There may be an upset coming in the "World's Oldest Dog" contest. A 26-year-old mixed breed terrier named Max from New Iberia, Louisiana is laying claim to the title, which currently belongs to Chanel, a 21-year-old dachshund mix from Port Jefferson Station, New York.

Max is senior to Chanel by five years -- that's 182 vs.147 in doggy years!

Janelle Derouen, Max's owner, bought him as a newborn puppy in 1983 from a local sugar cane farmer, reports the Daily Mail. As required by Guinness World Records, Derouen included a copy of Max's veterinary birth certificate from Robichaux Veterinary Clinic with the application she submitted to establish Max as the World's Oldest Dog.

Like Chanel, Max wears goggles to protect his cataracts, but he doesn't let a mild case of arthritis slow him down. What are Max's secrets to health and longevity? His owner, Derouen, provides some surprising clues:

• "I've never fed him anything but Kibbles and Bits, and a few treats like those beefy doggy bones."
• "We don't give him any food from our table."
• "He doesn't have any fancy toys, just a bit of rope and a regular squeaky ball."

Most importantly, Max is a "very, very laid back dog," Derouen told the Daily Mail. "He likes to lie down, relax, nap, sleep a lot and keep life simple. He'll play with the kids for a bit but if they bother him too long he'll wander off."

The Guinness World Records has not yet announced a decision on Derouen's paperwork, but Max and Chanel are hardly on pins and needles awaiting the outcome. They're just glad to be around.

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Tags: chanel, max, worlds oldest dog, WorldsOldestDog