How Many Dogs Can Someone Own?

[snow_wolf]

To further my "dog walking" thread. I wonder what everyones opinion is on, ho many dogs a person can own.

I think it comes down to your home, the breed and temperament of the dog, your lifestyle, your experience with dogs and your financial capacity.

We have 3 GSDs at the moment and will be joined by our 17 week old WSSD on Sunday. Each dog has it's own distinct personality and energy levels, although our laid back GSDs would be happy to be permanent lounge lizards if we'd let them. I work with them full time and keeping them mentally active is very important. A bored shepherd equals a destroyed house and I think our landlord would be most displeased if I let that happen.

We wouldn't want any more as it is a nice balance of ages and you can take two out for training and leave two behind. If I had a job away from home, we wouldn't have this many as I don't think I would have the time to keep them all happy. Our lifestyle revolves around the furkids and every thing we do we regard as a training opportunity - even feeding time. We find it easy to keep four in line but I wouldn't want to hand over 4 to a first time dog owner.

Another person renting, with multiple dogs! How are you guys doing it! I am seriously finding it impossible to find a good rental property, that allows dogs.

i only want to take 1 dog with me. Is there a real estate or something that specialises in pet approving rentals?

[Guest Clover]

What Megz said :D. 4 is my limit & the number i like to have around, i like that i am able to take 2 out with me and leave 2 at home if need be. Although poor Clover gets left behind when the others go to Flyball .

[Sayreovi]

I have three at the moment, the most I would have is about 6 I reckon. My family thinks I have enough dogs already, but 3 is easy especially when they get on well and 2 are older and mature (well sorta mature)

[snow_wolf]

Hmmm. I think i might start another thread about owning dogs, and rental properties.

[-Megz-]

Crazy is one more than you can safely manage.

For each person it would be different.

True that.

But i think, when you get anywhere above 10. Its crazy no matter what your situation, especilly if your at a figure up round 20 or 30

:D

Hmmm I wonder what your thoughts would be on my friend that hasn't had less than 40 in the entire time I've known her, anywhere between 40-55 is normal. The numbers are gradually dwindling now as she gets older and the average age of the dogs she owns has gone up also.

[Dxenion]

Moved

Edited February 15, 2011 by Dxenion

[sas]

I'd like to eventually have somwhere between 4 and 6. But no more than my current two until I atleast have a rental history and no more than 3 till I own somewhere. It seems like the line other people draw between dog interested and crazy dog lady is when you go past 3.

Oh, wow. You have 2 dogs and you're renting?

I've been looking for a place to rent, need to take 1 of the dogs with me. But i am having an impossible time finding a suitable house, that allows pets.

I've always rented in Sydney with 2 dogs, no issues at all.

In response to the OP, I personaly think it comes to do what's actually fair to the dogs, if you can give 10 dogs attention, exercise and stimulation then have 10 dogs.

[WreckitWhippet]

I've found the limit to be around 12, providing there aren't any naughty one's amongst them.

[Steve]

Depends on the breed too I think.

Its much easier and enjoyable to own a pack of beagles and they are very happy running and living together - sharing everything without a problem.

Most of my Maremmas are in the paddock working with stock but definitely 2 house Maremma is my limit.

I know people who own tiny dogs like chis often have dozens of them without a problem too.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Crazy is one more than you can safely manage.

For each person it would be different.

Best answer!

Depends a bit on age of dogs, breed, energy of owner - all that stuff. We are on 20 acres and have 6 medium/large dogs and 1 giant breed dog. We are definitely crazy, perhaps not in a bad way but we do something "doggie" just about every weekend and don't mind spending hours a day in addition to paid work interacting with, feeding, grooming and cleaning up after dogs. If we weren't crazy dog people on acres, 7 would be far too many.

Like others, it does get crazy when the girls are in season and when you have young pups. Otherwise, the breeds tend to work in our favour as they are all 60k an hour couch potatoes. The other thing is that we have a high disposable income which we spend on the dogs. I don't think we could do it if our incomes were cut by half.

[gwenneth1]

Crazy is one more than you can safely manage.

For each person it would be different.

Agree entirely, with Megz.

Point of interest, I was once told by a person who works at the RSPCA that they consider anybody to have more than four dogs to be hoarders. I'm on the cusp of being one (with four), apparently (although the three other grown family members own /care for three of them). I'm on six acres and we are actively planning to relocate to be on about 30-40 acres, having said that,in my situation it would not mean our dog numbers would go up with exception of one more (eldest is 12, youngest is six years) to do obedience and tracking with. It's also keeping our pack dynamics balanced and happy, there is no way I could, for instance bring another bitch here, all hell would break loose.

[raz]

Point of interest, I was once told by a person who works at the RSPCA that they consider anybody to have more than four dogs to be hoarders.

That's really funny. I know an RSPCA inspector and she has never owned a pet - she's just a jack boot wearing radical who earns her money pushing a pencil and loves to call people hoarders.

I agree with Megz as well.

[OSoSwift]

More than 4 a hoarder - that's a bit stupid,

Anyway I have three, one very old, 2 young. I could comfortably have 4, OH has a limlit of 3 to 4 depending on how old they are. For example he would have 4 young dogs but would have a older dog or two and the rest younger dogs.

I am not sure I would be happy having more than 4 and have never tried it. I quite often seem to end up with three and for the 8 months we had one it just didn't seem right.

[MolassesLass]

I don't think I can handle more than 4 as pets - if I have a larger pack in the future it won't be the same kind of relationship.

But like others, I think crazy comes when the dogs aren't adequately cared for.

Edited February 16, 2011 by molasseslass

[Danielle]

I currently have four with a fifth on the way. I am on 40 acres and can happily manage them all, not a problem. I must admit that at feed time it can be a bit overwhelming, but asides from that they all get along perfectly fine and are happily managed. I love having multiple dogs, our pack is very important to our family. Although i will say that five would be my limit regardless on how much land we are on, no more than five.

[Starkehre]

I think it is a really personal thing. Apart from there being enough money to fund the dogs and time to provide their basic needs and then some, I also think it comes down to the sanity of the owner.

Some people can cope with, care for and enjoy a lot of dogs and that is fine.

For me personally, I find that 3 seems to be my limit for coping and fulfilling my personal requirements as a dog owner. I am currently training and competing with all 3 of them in several different disciplines and I am just at the edge of my limit with that, I think I am also running a business, so there is only so much one person can take on.

Let's face it, we all have different expectations on ourselves and our dogs and as long as we can live with what we are doing, then "all good"

Many wonderful dog owners are not into training or competing in dog sports, therefore they may find that owning more dogs is fine for them. If I wasn't doing my dog sports (but I can't get my head around not training and competing ) then I could easily own more. But I do tend to enjoy my dogs more, the less I have.

I have owned 5 dogs in the past, and everything ran smoothly and was fine, but for me, I didn't feel I could do enough quality training and competing in enough disciplines to maintain what I feel is right for me and my dogs, a bit overwhelming... but that is just me .

It is not so bad when one dog is retired or semi retired and now that my OH is doing more training and will be trialling soon there may be a chance that we could possibly look at going up to 4 again in the next couple of years. But by then my older girl may have passed on anyway.

I am at my happiest with only 2 dogs, but then of course another one comes along......

[aussielover]

I think you have to be pretty "dog crazy" to have more than 10 dogs (not saying thats a bad thing!)

[~Anne~]

I agree with it being a personal thing and with Megz.

I have 3. I wouldn't want any more as they are inside dogs and my house would look like a kennel with any more. 3 dogs enables me time to spend with each of them, but to be honest, 2 is a better number for me I think. I would never give up any of my 3, but 2 bowls are easier to carry.... two beds are easy to wash.... having two arms I can only pat 2 at a time as well.

[Crisovar]

Point of interest, I was once told by a person who works at the RSPCA that they consider anybody to have more than four dogs to be hoarders.

That's really funny. I know an RSPCA inspector and she has never owned a pet - she's just a jack boot wearing radical who earns her money pushing a pencil and loves to call people hoarders.

I agree with Megz as well.

Considering they source most of their inspectors from law enforcement or investigative type backgrounds, and that no animal

knowledge is a requirement I am not at all surprised.

I too think that the numbers will vary considerably according to each individuals abilities and lifestyle.

While I consider getting up at sparrows fart every morning to exercise dogs, do a poo run, feed those that need morning feeds, clean water bowls etc and tend to horses before I start work to be simply something that goes hand in hand with the pleasure of keeping them, others would find it a chore.

I know single pet owners who cannot manage, it is all very individual.

[Lyla]

We have 4 and live on an acre and manage easily. They are labs and all get on well and are easy going. They usually play non stop so wear each other out so I don't have to be pedantic about exercising them, but I am at home most of the time anyway. I could easily manage more girls, it is the entire males that become PITA at times. We are moving to 8 acres soon, so I will probably keep 1 or 2 pups (girls) this year depending on what pops out!.

My eldest dog is 4, so all are young and healthy at the moment. I think having an ill or special needs dog would limit the number you could adequately cope with.