What's the largest number of dogs you've had?

Giny

Active Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
5,544
Likes
4
Points
38
Location
Maine
#22
3
I don't know how others can do it with more than that, 3 can be a handful with time/expenses and making sure that there's a balance in the household. I don't think I'll ever have 3 again, though I wasn't planing on 3 in the first place, it just happened.

I agree with Doberluv, 2 is a magic number.

Though I also think the type of dog can also make a difference. Tilly was our 3rd addition and she's not an easy dog. She's a love with us, but when it comes to visitors it's always a concern of mine.

So if it's a difficult dog with issues, one can be too much, but well stabilized dogs, then maybe handling multiples would not be so hard. Still a cost factor for me, though.
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#23
2. It's a good number, at the moment though I could handle a third because having Lucy is like not having a dog at all, lol she is ridiculously easy and low-maintenance.
 

~Dixie's_Mom~

♥Chloe & Violet♥
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8,159
Likes
1
Points
0
Age
32
Location
Tennessee
#24
Hmm. I think the most we've had is 3.

1 or 2 is an ideal number for me. In my expreience, number 3 has been the straw that broke the camel's back. 2 always seem to get along decently, and once we add a 3rd to the mix, there are problems.

I think I'd love to have 2 dogs and have a foster, though. (Which I'm planning on once I have my own place.)
 

AgilityPup

Agility freak!
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
5,242
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
#25
I *think* we've had as high as 23 before, but that was including all of our adult dogs and two litters of puppies. All the puppies were gone by 12 weeks, though, so it wasn't so bad.

We have 6 right now, and that's a pretty decent number for us. We had 5 up until Sunday, and that was the lowest number for us in a long time.

That being said, 4 of the 6 are Mini Aussies, so they hardly count. And the other two, currently, are Border Collie crosses, where as before it was one Border Collie and one GSD.

ETA: I'd like to point out that of those six in our house right now, they're each divided into "who belongs to who" between 3 owners. My sister has one dog, Morrie, who she "works" with (which is mostly throwing a ball for and doing some obedience every once in a while, but he sleeps with her and is bonded to her). My mom has two, Rhyme and Tinky, who she does agility with. And I have my permanent two, Zoey and Psyche, who both do agility, plus my foster, Crash, who I'm working on obedience and the foundations for agility with.

We've had people look at us like we're crazy because we don't just "have dogs" for the family, we have dogs who belong to each person in the house instead of all of us just kind of taking care of them. Then again, the people who think we're strange also don't have 6 dogs who NEED work.
 
Last edited:

thehoundgirl

Active Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2004
Messages
2,353
Likes
0
Points
36
#28
5. We had Rocky, Jenny, Ginger, Rudy, and Buster before Dixie came along.. Rocky, Jenny, and Ginger passed away from old age. :( (Jenny 2 years ago, Ginger 1 year ago, and Rocky almost 3 years ago.) Now we just have 3.. Rudy, Buster, and Dixie and 4 dogs is my personal limit. No more than that.
 

Sit Stay

Not a Border Collie
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
2,814
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Ontario
#29
3 is the highest we've gone, when I was much younger.

I think my ideal number would be 2, possibly 3.
 
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
482
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
Seattle, Washington
#30
We're at 5 dogs now, but it's another situation of the dogs being split up between people. My parents each have a chihuahua, I have Chewy and Lola. Delgado pretty much just lives here. We all love him and he loves all of us, but he is really bonded to any of us especially.

The number of dogs has fluctuated a lot... Before we got Delgado, my mom's chihuahua came with a brother. At that time 5 seemed really overwhelming and insane. Then again, Harley was overwhelming and insane. We made it work though, and would have continued to make it work except Harley got bitten by a poisonous snake a few months after we got the siblings. We had 4 dogs for under a year before Delgado stumbled into our lives. Now 5 dogs seems manageable, but we're definitely at carrying capacity.
 

HayleyMarie

Like a bat outa' hell
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
7,058
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Beautiful British Columbia!!
#31
Three. Its actually always been three. Growing up we always has two small terriers and a big dog (bouvier) and it has never changed lol

Living at home right now there is three dogs, although Teagan is on only child. I think my perfect number would be three.(personal dogs) As I would want one big dog (mastiff) and two terriers. Just to even out the size difference haha. Heck Teagan is going to need a side kick.

But I would want to be able to foster. So I dont really have a limit. Just what I am able to handle. And who knows what the number will be :rofl1:

Its always been pretty easy for us having three dogs as we life on a farm and the dogs entertain themselves and keep themselves excercised. Which is so nice, but thats going to change one tyler and I move out and get a house with a fenced in yard. Walks here we come! JOY!! ha ha
 

lizzybeth727

Active Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
6,403
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Central Texas
#32
Two... and I just got the second one 4 months ago. :D It's been a big adjustment to have two, and while I like it because they each have their favorite activities and "jobs," I do think I prefer having only one. I feel outnumbered!
 

Beanie

Clicker Cult Coordinator
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
14,012
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
39
Location
Illinois
#33
Three. I actually liked three. If one dog wasn't up to playing, usually the other two could keep each other occupied. Of course this is assuming the dogs actually want to interact, since I have TWO right now who don't spend much time interacting with each other, and when they do it's either a) Auggie humping Pepper or b) Pepper divebombing me or Auggie because she is jealous that I am petting Auggie.

The weekend I spent in Louisville, at times I was out walking four dogs, and I thought "you know, four isn't too bad. I could probably do four." But it would take the right group of four for sure... not just any four dogs.
 

NicoleLJ

PSD Partner
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
1,601
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Canada
#35
If you don't include a litter of pups since they all went to homes when they were old enough, the max I have had is 3. I loved having that many.
 

Snark

Mutts to you
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
4,023
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
#36
Seven. The smallest was 45 lbs. What can I say? We moved to a rural area with 3 dogs and people kept either dumping dogs or moving away and leaving their dog. Never will understand people who leave a 14 yr. old dog to fend for itself...
 

Specsy

Owned by Rottweilers
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
626
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
South Africa
#37
Three was the most, ever but have 4 at home at the moment and its going great.

ETA: the 4th isn't mine so that's why I didn't count him in my most amount of dogs, he is just staying for baby sitting temporarily
 

k9krazee

Active Member
Joined
May 29, 2006
Messages
2,423
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Michigan, USA
#38
5 was the most (Shadow, our Rottweiler + the four we have now).

We have 4 now but I know it's way over my mom's limit. She never wants more than one again. It was alright when I lived there and could help out, but she gets overwhelmed.

I would like to have one or two, with three being the most. But there are times that I really, really love having a larger pack, so maybe four would be my limit. But it's also hard because Jack is MY only dog and I like personally only having one to care for and do things with. We shall see what the future holds.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top