Single vs. Serious Relationship Dog Numbers

meepitsmeagan

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#1
With all the life insurance conversations Josh and I have been having with his new job, it got me thinking about how I would manage if he ever passed away (tragic and weird, I know).

So what was/is your ideal for single life? Mine would be two MAX. Ideally, I would only want one dog. But in a serious relationship, I see us having at least four, easily.

You?
 

JacksonsMom

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#2
Well I am single and one is actually really really good for me and my lifestyle right now. With that said, I do want a second, it's just not the right timing.

2 is my max by myself.
 

skittledoo

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#3
I was just talking about this yesterday with my friends when we were hiking. Single I think two would be my max. In a serious relationship I thought only 3, but after having 3 for a while now I could see us adding a 4th in a few years.
 

Laurelin

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#5
Well I am single with two dogs and a third definitely planned. Lately I have been even contemplating a fourth. But I am not sure that is a good plan. We will see what happens with three. I think i will aim for 2-3 always. I dont like having only one dog. All I know is 6 was too much lol.
 

Flyinsbt

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#6
I'm single and have 2, but I had 3 dogs for quite awhile. Only 2 feels weird. I wouldn't like to go below 2. The amount of dogs I have is bounded more by space and money than anything. If I had the right set up for it, I could easily go 4 or 5. It's just hard when you travel, so I'd have to also have an RV so everyone could come.
 

SpringerLover

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#7
The dogs are definitely mine but one doesn't live with me. She's an exception... I think I could handle two, if they were stable-ish dogs.
 

Beanie

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#8
Well, I currently have three, four if you count Georgie which I only do about half the time since she's really not mine except for the training work I do with her. And I will have a fourth of my own in a few years, which is the limit in the city.

I don't have a limit number if there are two of us. The plan at that point would be to live in the country where there's no city limit, so. Yeah. I dunno. Six? Seven? It depends on the dogs too. I never intended to have four, I intended to have three. Pepper threw a wrench in the plans. I don't know if it will eventually become three down the road or not. Right now the three I have is not what I want. Retired Auggie, Pepper just being Pepper, and Payton the only active sports dog? Boo. But Auggie and Pepper are both so ridiculously low maintenance, really, that it's a non-issue. Four Paytons would be terrible OTOH.
 

joce

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#9
Its not the dogs I worry about! I could handle the same amount of dogs and afford them just fine, but the horses are another story. Money is not so much the issue but not having someone to help with moving hay and cleaning stalls occasionally makes all the difference. I would likely get down to one or two vs the three I have now and the more I want.

On the other side I have told my husband my life insurance money is so he can support the critters since he can support himself. I told him I would haunt him if he sold them.
 

Laurelin

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#10
Well, I currently have three, four if you count Georgie which I only do about half the time since she's really not mine except for the training work I do with her. And I will have a fourth of my own in a few years, which is the limit in the city.

I don't have a limit number if there are two of us. The plan at that point would be to live in the country where there's no city limit, so. Yeah. I dunno. Six? Seven? It depends on the dogs too. I never intended to have four, I intended to have three. Pepper threw a wrench in the plans. I don't know if it will eventually become three down the road or not. Right now the three I have is not what I want. Retired Auggie, Pepper just being Pepper, and Payton the only active sports dog? Boo. But Auggie and Pepper are both so ridiculously low maintenance, really, that it's a non-issue. Four Paytons would be terrible OTOH.
Yeah that's kind of where I'm at. My two are low maintenance these days. I'm enjoying playing with them so much and I am glad I am. But hopefully next year will add a young sports dog to the mix. Then once summer retires i could see another sports dog added. City limit here is four. The plan was never four dogs.

In my daydream relationship he and I both have lots of dogs and live in the country. I am still waiting for the border collie agility guy...
 

Fran101

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#11
1 would be my ideal for single.
2 would be do-able in a relationship.

I've never been a fan of having more than one honestly, while I like the idea in theory (another dog to play with, him never being alone, etc..) in actual practice.... not my thing. Especially living in a city with rental limits and with the amount of stuff I do with Merlin that would not be possible with 2. So without another person, I probably wouldn't want another.
 

xpaeanx

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#12
Count me in the it's a mix of space, money and the dogs temperament.

I personally like having 2 dogs, especially when Muffin is one of them... LOL. He's an amazing snuggler... But OMG he sucks for any halfway serious hikes. I feel bad saying that but it's the truth.

Where I am now in life I couldn't handle more than two, space an money being the issues. When I finally get my house in the country though? It would just depend on the mix of dog personalities. I'd say I'd prob cap off at 4, but who knows... As the dogs age and become less active, I can easily see myself adding more active ones.
 

Cardiparty

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#13
For me, two dogs is good. Three is pushing it.

I'm married with a little one, so I have no desire to keep a plethora of dogs. I'd rather put the time and effort into the ones I have so that they make excellent pets, rather then over dog myself.

I tend to dog sit quite a bit for friends, and I can tell you that four dogs in the house for sure is too many for me.

I've seen people get over extended with the dog thing, and for me that's when it ceases to be fun.

No matter how many you want or have or whatever, as long as you're able to enjoy it and it doesn't add more stress, then I think you're ok.
 

Picklepaige

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#14
As long as I live in this apartment, one is my limit, just because that is all anyone is allowed to have. If I were living in a house by myself, then I would have two. I don't see myself ever living in a house by myself though, since as soon as I'm done with school I plan on getting a house with my SO, and I'm not really sure what our limit would be then. I could probably easily do four then, with perhaps an extra space for a foster.

I'm thinking one "pet" (a more laid back breed/individual), two actively competing dogs, and one "up and coming."
 

Paige

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#15
I have one. I am not single but I do live alone so I will count that as single. I would have another if my kids were older but its not feasible right now to add a second. When living with another person if they were helping out with dog chores? I would happily have two.
 

Shai

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#16
My main issue is I would have to board my dogs a fair bit if I were single. Outside of that aspect, my three would be no problem for just me.

That said if it weren't for hubby's help, I would not be planning to whelp Mira at home -- she'd be going to her breeders' or not being bred at all. Even with me saving up vacation for over a year and working a temporary work-from-home and having hubby, I'm still planning on bringing in a knowledge guest (hopefully one of Mira's breeders) for the whelping and immediate after care and raising. I'd rather be overprepared and not need the help than any alternative.
 

DJEtzel

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#17
Three would be ideal, 4 would be a limit.

I had three just fine when I was single last spring for a few months and one was a 4 week old puppy... Now I'm in a relationship, but my significant other doesn't really do anything with the dogs or help me out (because I don't need it, not because he won't help) so it's almost like I'm single? lol. Or just have a roommate...
 

Julee

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#18
On my own, probably 3-4, one of those being a dog in training, so there would be a new dog coming in with a current one going out regularly.
With Rick, there isn't really a limit. Depends too heavily on what the dogs are like, where we are in life, etc.
 

Cardiparty

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#19
Whelpwise is expensive, but always a good option so that you can see if the contractions are strong enough and also to moniter puppies.

I was looking into it, and I think it's $400.00, but you have to make sure that you schedule ahead to get it.

My mentor and I whelped my girl at home without it and she's actually raising the puppies for me because I just don't have time to socialize them properly. I'm really lucky to have such wonderful friends.

It was a very emotional experience and I'm really glad I didn't try to do it alone (that never would have been an option. Had I not had a mentor, I would have never had a litter in the first place).
 
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#20
Honestly I might have more dogs if I was single. My husband would not have any dogs if he weren't married to me. He loves ours, but he is really a cat person at heart and wouldn't choose to have dogs on his own.

Because of that, although he is very VERY considerate of helping with their care, by my choice I do most of the work for them now anyway. I think his ideal would be 1 dog; mine is 2-3. If I were single and didn't have to care about anyone else's feelings I might go up to 4.
 

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