THE OWNER of the oldest dog in the UK has shared how she keeps her pooch strong and healthy at 22 years old.
Linzi McLean, 29, first laid eyes on her beloved Sasha in 2005, after her granddad came across the stray pup on a bus.
SWNSLinzi McLean with Sasha the Staffy[/caption]
SWNSSasha is believed to be 22 years old[/caption]
SWNSShe was discovered as a stray in 2005[/caption]
The Staffordshire Terrier was at the time around three years old, according to vets.
She has been by Linzi’s side every since – accompanying her throughout her school years and twenties.
The besotted Lancashire owner reckoned said the secret to the dog’s old age was the devotion she had received throughout her life.
She said: “The amount of love that I have for her, and that she has for me, I think that’s what has kept her going all this time and kept her heart strong and healthy.”
Recalling how she first came to own Sasha, Linzi said: “He [her granddad] was on the bus on the way home and some girls had found her, she was a stray and she jumped up on to my granddad’s knee.
“They were just going to take her to the RSPCA because they’d found her, so my granddad thought he’d give her a chance.”
Impressed by her gentle nature, Linzi’s granddad decided to gift the pup to young Linzi.
The smitten owner said: “If she was an aggressive dog or a badly behaved dog or something, it may have been different.”
School-aged Linzi was elated to receive the dog, who she says is now “pretty much part of her”.
She added: “She’s the most loyal dog I’ve ever known, she’s very attached to me.
“I think the main thing that’s kept her going all this time is all the love and care.
“You give her so much love they want to stay with you all the time, they’re not going to want to leave you.”
The elderly pooch celebrated her 22nd birthday in November – 19 years after she was found.
Unfortunately, Sasha’s record may not be verified by Guinness World Records, however.
Last year, the organisation announced it would require microchip data or documentary evidence for all years of a pet’s life in order to verify records.
As Sasha was found as a stray, her owners cannot be 100% certain of her age.
SWNSLinzi said the secret to Sasha’s long life was the love she had received[/caption]
SWNSShe believes her Sasha could be Britain’s oldest dog[/caption]
SWNSLinzi was given Sasha as a gift from her granddad[/caption]
Despite having “good mobility”, Sasha now struggles with longer walks.
Linzi has bought a dog pram for her so she can carry on enjoying the great outdoors.
The Sun has contacted Guinness World Records for comment.
It is not the first time that the record keeper has entered into a dispute over a dog’s age.
Last month, Bobi, the so-called world’s oldest dog was posthumously stripped of his title, after doubts were raised over the reliability of the microchip used to prove the Pup’s age.
‘World’s oldest dog’ posthumously stripped of title in dispute over his real age
By Adele Whittingham
THE world’s oldest dog has been posthumously stripped of his title in a dispute over his real age.
Bobi died in October last year — allegedly aged 31 years and 165 days.
But now the Guinness Book of World Records has raised doubts over the reliability of the microchip used to prove Bobi’s age, saying it is not sufficient proof.
The OAP mutt, a Rafeiro do Alentejo breed, lived in Conquerios, Portugal.
Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, has not yet commented but previously said suspicions over his dog’s age were “unfounded”.
He previously said Bobi was born in 1992 when he was eight-years-old, and he hid him from his parents as they had too many animals.
Leonel attributed Bobi’s long life to his diet of unseasoned human food and never being walked on a lead.
Guinness World Records said: “We’re left with no conclusive evidence which can definitively prove Bobi’s date of birth.
“Without any conclusive evidence available to us right now, we simply can’t retain Bobi as the record-holder.
The previous record-holder was Bluey, who died in Australia in 1939 aged 29 years, five months.
SWNSSasha has accompanied Linzi throughout her school years and twenties[/caption]
SWNSLinzi now uses a dog pram to take the pup on longer excursions[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
