The world's oldest dog has died at 26 years and eight months.

Pusuke, a fluffy tan Shiba mix, died on Monday after suddenly falling ill and refusing to eat, owner Yumiko Shinohara said at her home in Sakura, a city outside Tokyo, Japan.

"I would just like to thank him for staying alive so long," she told TV network FNN. The report said Pusuke's lifespan would have been the equivalent of about 125 years for a human.

According to Guinness World Records, the dog was born on April 1 1985 and recognised as the world's oldest living dog last December.

The Guinness record for canine longevity is 29 years, set by Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939.

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