This rescue dog just turned 23. See how he had the best birthday party ever

The oldest dog at the shelter just celebrated their 23rd birthday with an amazing party. The pup, named Bully, has been living at the shelter for almost a decade, but despite his age and lengthy stay, he is still full of life and love.

Bully was brought to the shelter as a stray dog at the age of 21. Since then, he has been under the care of the staff and volunteers, who have given him all the love and attention he needs. Despite his advanced age, Bully still loves to play and run around, and he is always eager to meet new people.

The shelter staff wanted to make Bully’s 23rd birthday special, so they decided to throw him a surprise party. They decorated his living area with balloons and streamers, and they even made a birthday cake just for him. When Bully saw the decorations, he was so excited that he started wagging his tail and jumping up and down.

Happy birthday to Bully the Chihuahua, celebrating 23 beautiful years with his family!

The elderly dog celebrated the day with a bone-shaped cookie and lots of naptime

The charismatic puppy was born on April 5, 1999, and adopted by his first family that loved him for 21 years

Sadly, his elderly owner couldn’t take care of him any more and he found his way into the hearts of the Hughes family

The Hughes run a non-profit rescue, called the Mr. Mo Project, uniting all senior pups in the hopes of providing a happy and safe home

Regardless of his big personality, Bully’s age is catching up to him. He needs more rest than the average puppy, Chris saying, “he will fall asleep absolutely anywhere, sometimes on the middle of the floor in the kitchen, on a potty pad or on the biggest, most comfortable bed in the corner.” And therefore, the best thing they could give the doggo was a good birthday sleep, as well as a soft crumbly biscuit for the senior to enjoy.

The family has fallen in love with Bully and his little antics, writing in an Instagram post, “When he came to us I, honestly, didn’t want to add another dog to our pack, especially a 21 year old, unaltered dog, and a chihuahua at that. But you know what? The universe must have known we needed Bully because this dog brings us so much joy, I can’t even imagine my life without him now.”

But Bully isn’t looking for any other home as the Hughes have fallen in love with him and his silly antics

The birthday post garnered a lot of attention, gifts and donations coming from fans and companies alike

For a dog to reach the age of 23 is no ordinary feat, but why do some dogs live longer than others?

Whether the math regarding the dog to human years is fully correct is unclear, because most tend to stop the dog-human age calculators at 20. Chihuahuas are a breed of pups that tend to have some of the longest lifespans but, even so, 23 is incredible. But why do small dogs tend to live so much longer than their larger brothers and sisters?

According to Dr. Andrew Miller, dogs live on average for 10 to 13 years, with this depreciating as the dog gets bigger, making your choice in pup quite significant, as you essentially sign up for a set amount of time with them.

Professor Mark Elgar of the University of Melbourne’s School of Biosciences says that research comparing size and age-related mortality in dogs shows that larger dogs die younger because they age significantly faster than smaller dogs.

We wish Bully a late happy birthday and send lots of love to all his friends and family

Please ‘SHARE’ this story with a friend or family member!