LIFE+STYLE | World’s oldest person and World’s tallest and smallest dogs meet up for a playdate
This photo provided by Guinness World Records shows Pearl, the world’s shortest living dog, with Reginald, the world’s tallest living dog, both certified by Guinness World Records, during a play date in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on April 5, 2025. PHOTO: AP
World’s oldest person gives her recipe to long life
LONDON (AP) — For Ethel Caterham, the trick to a long life — and in her case, it really has been — is not to argue.
Caterham, who is 115, became the world’s oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group, after Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun and teacher, died on Wednesday at the tender age of 116.
“Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like,” she said from her nursing home in Surrey, southwest of London, on the secret to her longevity.
She was born on Aug. 21, 1909, in the village of Shipton Bellinger in the south of England, five years before the outbreak of World War I. She was the second youngest of eight siblings.
 |
…
Travel has been in her blood, it’s clear. In 1927, at the age of 18, Caterham embarked on a journey to India, working as a nanny for a British family, where she stayed for three years before returning to England, according to the GRG.
She met her husband Norman, who was a major in the British army, at a dinner party in 1931, and they were stationed in Hong Kong and Gibraltar, the GRG said. They had two daughters whom they raised in the UK. Norman died in 1976.
Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Camberley, where Caterham is a resident, posted pictures of her cutting a cake and wearing a “115” tiara in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“Huge congratulations to Lakeview resident, Ethel on becoming the oldest person in the world! What an incredible milestone and a true testament to a life well-lived,” it said in an accompanying statement. “Your strength, spirit, and wisdom are an inspiration to us all. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable journey!”
The title of the oldest person ever is held by French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years 164 days, according to Guinness World Records.
|
|
…
World’s tallest and smallest dogs meet up for a playdate
(AP) – A playdate between the world’s tallest and smallest living dogs went the way of most dog park encounters despite the 3-foot (0.91-meter) height difference — lots of tail wagging, sniffing and scampering.
Reginald, a 7-year-old Great Dane from Idaho, and Pearl, a chihuahua from Florida, are both certified winners in their respective height titles by Guinness World Records. The fact that Reginald is the size of a small horse and Pearl is as small as an apple didn’t stop them from getting along famously.
Pearl, a 4-year-old who stands at 3.59 inches (9.14 centimeters), comes from a long line of short dogs. Her aunt Millie, a previous record-holder in the same category, until she died in 2020, also was under 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) tall.
|
|
.
Both Millie and Pearl weighed 1 ounce (28.35 grams) at birth.
“I was not expecting to once again have the record,” said Vanesa Semler of Orlando, Florida, owner of both tiny dogs. “That would be like unbelievable.”
Guinness arranged the two-day meet up between Pearl and Reginald — who also goes by Reggie and measures in at a whopping 3-foot-3 (1 meter) — last month at his home in Idaho Falls.
This photo provided by Guinness World Records shows Pearl, the world’s shortest living dog, with Reginald, the world’s tallest living dog, both certified by Guinness World Records, during a play date in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on April 5, 2025. PHOTO: AP
|
|
.
Even though Pearl loves dogs, even big dogs, Semler said she was anxious because of Reginald’s size.
“For me, (it) was a huge, pleasant surprise from day one because Reggie is like Pearl, in bigger size,” she said. “He is so gentle, so friendly.”
Reggie, for his part, might have been more interested in the Guinness film crew that accompanied Pearl than the tiny dog herself.
“I would say he likes people a little bit more than he likes other dogs,” said Sam Johnson Reiss, his owner.
Pearl’s tiny size was also strange for the big boy.
“He was like very cautious, like a little anxious,” Reiss said. “He was very careful, like he didn’t step on her or anything or anything crazy. He was just very aware that she was there.”
…
|
|
.
Reggie’s super size was evident early on, especially on a dog park visit when he towered over other Great Danes despite being only 9 months old.
“They would be shorter than him, and they were like full-grown,” Reiss said.
There might have been a little jealousy shown over toys and beds, but Reggie and Pearl found common ground during their two days roaming the Idaho farm together.
“I think she found a good friend,” Semler said.
Semler said Pearl is her prima donna, with the chihuahua even picking out the clothes she wants to wear every day by placing her paw on the outfits laid out before her. That comes in handy when news crews are lining up for interviews.
“For us, she was always our diva,” Semler said. “Now she’s a diva for everyone.”
Pearl doesn’t have the top diva title quite yet, with Reiss saying Reggie — who has a new Instagram account — has his own diva moments.
“He’s pretty high maintenance,” Reiss said. “Reggie’s just cheeky, like he’s kind of mischievous and silly and definitely tells you when he wants something.”
|
Ads by: |
Memento Maxima Digital Marketing
