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The world’s oldest living dog has celebrated its 21st birthday with a certificate from the Guiness Book of Records, appearances on American television, doggie birthday cake and a visit to a dog hotel and spa. Chanel, a daschund whose age equates to 120 in human years, wears sunglasses because of cataract problems.

Owner Denice Shaughnessy of Long Island picked up Chanel as a six-week-old pup from a rescue centre in Virginia in 1988. More than two decades later, Shaughnessy said Chanel was still independent but spent most of her time resting indoors because of joint problems.

“She used to run three miles with me every day,” Shaughnessy told the New York Post. “She still enjoys a walk, but now she’s carried for a lot of it.”

Shaughnessy also keeps her home at a constant 72 degrees Fahrenheit – Chanel has to wear a sweater when she goes outside – and feeds the dog a special diet of boiled chicken and pasta.

Chanel earned the title of oldest dog following the death of a 28-year-old Beagle last spring.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 7:51 am and is filed under Dogs, Pets, Television. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.