At first glance, Jack looks like any other Yorkie. He is tiny and energetic, with a silly, friendly brown and black face. What makes Jack stand out though, is that though he is still often mistaken for a puppy, he just turned 26 years old this week, making him Britain's oldest dog. Most dogs only hope to live to 13, according to Life With Dogs.
Jack was adopted by his current owners, Mary and Ray Bunn of Hartlepool, when he was 10.
"The first time I saw him, he came running over to me and jumped into my arms. I didn't even hold my arms out - the bond was instant. He very quickly became a big part of the family, and now we've had him for 16 years... We go caravanning (camping) in the summer and he comes with us. He just goes waltzing in and out and everyone loves him to bits. He's so cheeky," said Ray Bunn, noted Life With Dogs.
Jack had a difficult early life, with negligent owners. The Bunns' daughter's neighbor tried to rescue him from his original family, but Jack and their dog didn't get along. He was then passed on to the Bunns, reported The Telegraph. Though Jack now has arthritis and has to be on some medications, he still eats well and likes to walk for short periods of time.
"He has always felt at home here. He's generally a very happy dog and we all love him," said Ray Bunn, noted The Daily Mail.
"I really didn't think he would last this long. It's just all happened so quickly. We have been overwhelmed - I can't believe he is Britain's oldest dog. He has been really pampered - I think that's why he's managed to get this far. He has three beds and he comes and stays in the caravan with us. He loves his home comforts. We've had him for so long now and we're dreading the day when he goes. He is like a son to me," gushed Ray Bunn, according to Life With Dogs.
The oldest dog in recorded history was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who lived to 29 in the early 20th century, reported The Daily Mail.
