Whats Your Limit On The Number Of Dogs

[MavericksMission]

I have 2 but would consider a 3rd if I had the space and mum was agreeable! :laugh:

Also have 8 cats which I love to bits, but if I was doing it all again I would probably have a max of 4.

Edited September 8, 2012 by MavericksMission

[Inevitablue]

I have two - both under 2yo. 2 is a perfect number for me, easy to walk, fit in the car etc. But I have my heart set on breeding my girl to the perfect stud for her, so I better get used to having 3 dogs. Logistically I really don't want 3 but I want to do this mating more than I value keeping grey hairs at bay :laugh:

[Dame Aussie]

We have two but when we finally get some land and move further out I would get anywhere up to five or six....can't wait.

[Oscar (AmBull)]

I have one atm, but eventually aiming for three.

Just out of curiosity are people leaning more towards even numbers? ie people have said they have three or five but would prefer four, is this so that you can take two out and leave two home? Is an even number more manageable?

[Rilla-My-Rilla]

I have one (puppy) atm, but am pretty sure that 2 would be a maximum, as I like taking them out and about with me, having a really good bond and being able to spend the time training. I hope to trial with Rilla, and think it would just be too hard to transport a lot of dogs, run them all at a trial and beforehand train them. I also like to have the time to give Rilla a daily brush to stop her hair falling out in the house :)

[Remarkabull]

I have 4 and they are all very different breeds and personalities so it can be tough at times. I'd say I'd prefer 2 or 3 in the future and they will all be the same breed. All our pets are indoor animals (except the horse) so it can get tough to give enough to each individual every day. We also have 3 cats (plus a foster cat and her 5 kittens) and I have decided that once they pass on we won't get another cat so I can focus more on the dogs.

[Weasels]

Right now, I don't like to have more dogs than I have hands.

This may change in the future though :D

[dancinbcs]

On a suburban block 5 BCs was one too many for me. I had 4 for many years and now find two dogs so easy but when I was down to one last year for a while, found that really difficult as I hadn't had just one dog alone for over 25 years. If I was on acres I would probably have about 6.

I find the biggest hassle with larger numbers is needing a bigger vehicle or trailer for transport not to mention the vet bills.

[snippet]

We have four, three whippets and a greyhound, I am happy with this number. We fostered greyhounds last year and the extra greyhound didn't make much difference, except that council regs say you can only walk four at a time.

[RubyStar]

Two works for me. I can easily afford two, I have a hand available to pat each of them and an arm to hug each of them with at the same time, can carry their dinner bowls out at the same time, I can keep an eye on two at the park/beach, and two is good for rotation at training.

I sometimes take my mum's dog out training and to the park on my own. It's doable, but need extra eyeballs and to be extra vigilant.

But I'd love another of my own - insanity when 2 is actually a good number for me Car isn't set up for 3 Labs, either!

[tlc]

I have one atm, but eventually aiming for three.

Just out of curiosity are people leaning more towards even numbers? ie people have said they have three or five but would prefer four, is this so that you can take two out and leave two home? Is an even number more manageable?

For me when I had 3, I wouldn't leave one at home if per chance I wanted to take only 2 with me somewhere, but with 4 I can take 2 and leave 2 at home. On occasion I take two to training or two to functions (Delta) so two are always left at home together. This is not the reason I got number 4 but it definatley makes it easier.

[ash1]

We have eight dogs; four ranging from 9mths to 12 mths old, two just turned eight years old, one 10 years and one 11 years. The two oldest ones are small breed, the rest are large breed dogs.

They all live inside with us in our teeny, tiny little cottage, but we are on large acreage (130 acres), so plenty of room to run around during the day. The door is open all day long so they are free to come and go inside or out, but are inside at night and just taken out for toilet breaks, one after dinner and one just before bed.

It's actually pretty easy to manage, we feed in shifts; all the seniors eat together, then two pups, then two pups, although lately we have been feeding eldest pup with the seniors, then the three remaining pups together. We also have two minipigs who live inside at night time (in their own yard during the day), plus four cats.

People are usually horrified when I tell them how many dogs we have (so I usually I don't) and I don't know that we'd find a house-sitter in a hurry if we wanted to go away. However, I think once you establish a routine that fits, it all gels together quite easily.

The only major con is that I can never reach the phone in time - by the time I've waded through a sea of dogs, I've missed the call. :laugh: The other con would be that you always have way more "helpers" than you need when doing a project - I've just finished building a poultry pen and I swear it took me twice as long as it should have - because half of that time was spent locating stolen tools.

[whitka]

For me it will depend on the dogs age for when I get another dog. Toby is nearly 9 so for me thats a good time to get a puppy and maybe when this pup is 5 or older then ill want another one.

[Esky the husky]

I've got one but I want more.

Two seems like a much better idea for racing.

They can have company when I go out.

Three would also be good, two home, one out for a trip with me.

Any more than two though would be very hard for rentals.

My girl is such a sook she really loves being around other people and dogs.

Hopefully she'll be happy when we eventually add to our pack

[Alkhe]

I think 2 is my limit - but I'm going to start fostering again in a few weeks, and am more than happy to temporarily have 3 dogs.

I live in an inner-ish city suburb and like taking them everywhere with me when I'm not at work. So going to cafes, up and down shop lined streets etc.. 2 dog leads in one hand and a coffee in the other is fine. 3 though.. it would depend on the dogs, but I just wouldn't feel in control. Walking with a dog in each hand is perfect, for my "lifestyle".

I do think it depends on the individual dogs though - I could have 3 or 4 Maggies, but I couldn't have more than 2 Mimis at a time (even though she's the 11 year old!) :laugh: Luckily I just have one of each and it's perfect.

[Tralee]

What a great thread!

I thought I was part of a rare group with four dogs, sometimes five.

It looks like all the dogs only go to a particular group of people.

I have known someone to have 12 dogs at times.

There is something about dog people.

[Poodle Mum]

I have 5 std poodles and at the moment a litter of pups. I would prefer 3 but when you show dogs unfortunately that number creeps up. Others tell me put the dogs that aren't being shown in a pet home. They dont understand....they are in a pet home! So no more for us for a while.

[coogie]

I have two and would love another one or two, sadly our local Council disagree so we are limited until we move.I have tried several times to explain to the Council that the only extra square meterage I need to add another is an additional couch but they don't seem to understand this line of persuasion. **sighs**

[espinay2]

6 is probably the top number for me that I like in terms of managability.

[Steve]

For me with the Maremma its a bit about how many I need . My Maremma [ with the exception of one ] work and at the moment I have 3 mobs of sheep so I need 3- 6 for that. Soon we will need another 2. The difference is that I haven't lost a lamb to foxes for 15 years but my son went to stay on a local property with no Maremma a few weeks ago and for every lamb alive each morning one was dead .This is unacceptable for me so the Maremma are a huge part of our lives and because of the layout and size of our property and how we manage the dogs every dog still gets to be loved by at least one human every day. Then I have one which stays with me and the 4 beagles in the house yard which is almost 3 acres. Soon I will keep a new puppy to live in the house for the older Maremma to train for me before she [or I ] gets too old.

Both of these breeds are pretty easy to live with on this property as its all set up for living with beagles and Maremma dogs - large areas to run and play in, something different everyday to smell and be interested in, escape proof and they get to play with their dog pack and also sit around with us humans and be with us off lead were ever we go around the property and most of the daylight hours is us outside either working or sitting in their kennel [the porch] there is little for me to do to which feels like work and in the main their food is free as we grow some and barter for what we need that we don't produce. There isn't any pack issues or a need to separate them at feed times etc and whilst they sleep on the porch and stroll in and out of the house and they are all house trained they don't actually live in the house as in sleep inside and they all have good manners. Whilst I do have some penned areas to put them in for short times if I need to everything is free range so there isnt any kennel cleaning chores etc.

I think if it were different breeds, if I worked away from the property, or I lived in suburbia, didnt have family who live here and share basics life might not be as easy but I know my limitations and that's about when it starts to feel like work rather than just living with them and enjoying doing what I do for them.

But the real determination for me is that you cant just have unlimited numbers until sooner or later you have to separate them, keeping em locked in smaller areas,spending less time together and intrinsically changing how you live with them, where it changes from really being within the human and canine family and living the same lifestyle as the family and that is what determines the 'just one more' or not for me.