Woolsthorpe dairy farmer Brian McLaren can’t prove his cattle dog’s age but estimates she’s between 28 and 30-years-old. The lovable pooch was retired from working about 10 years ago and has been a lovable pet around the dairy ever since. 

Mr McLaren described her bark as “a husky groan” but said the old girl was still the same Maggie after all these years.

“I’ve got no claim to how old she actually is but our oldest boy wasn’t at school when we got her, which makes her between 28 and 30,” he said.

“She’s still the boss and nothing’s changed much. She’s probably the best cattle dog I’ve ever had.

“Sometimes she’ll still go out to the track and bark for no reason at the same time that the kids used to get off the school bus every day.”

The world’s oldest documented canine, an Australian cattle dog, died aged 29 in 1939. 

Maggie has had a miraculous run at the dairy, without a single trip to the vet since being spayed as a puppy. Mr McLaren said Maggie was deaf and losing her vision, but remained a very clever dog.

“She’s cunning. She knows what’s going on, she knows when she’s getting fed and knows to stay out of the road of the tanker,” he said.

“I don’t remember her ever being sick. 

“You have to look after good dogs because invariably the good dog gets run over by the tanker.”