Whats Your Limit On The Number Of Dogs

[tlc]

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.

There is certainly something about dog people! No one here bats an eye at a 4 dog family. But I take mine out regularly to the park, off lead and the comments I get are unreal ( think I even made a thread about it once. :laugh: ) it's mostly " gee you have your hands full" I just say well actually I don't their better behaved than some children I know! and that's the truth.

[Malamum]

We have two and I have no interest in ever having more than that.

[JulesP]

Two now. I've had 4 at one time.

[Kynta]

I usually have 3. 2 Dobes and 1 BC (to organise them)http://www.dolforums.com.au/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif I find that quite a good balance as the Dobes would stay home together while the BC comes and helps me with horse, chook and other farm duties. Then we would all go bush walking together. For the first time in many years I only have 1 - a 14 year old Dobe. He is really enjoying being an only dog and he can be a little DA so I am just enjoying his company while I have it. But it is a bit strange only having one....

[Rozzie]

I'd like to have 3.

[darlingdog]

I have four which I find is ok. I can take 2 out and the others still have company as someone has already said in this thread. Sometimes I have a foster as well and I find that five is a bit much for me...mainly because we don't have enough couches in the loungeroom for everyone and the humans end up sitting on the floor ....or a dog LOL!!!!

[dancinbcs]

Most of my BC owning friends have 6 to 12 with the odd one having up to about 14 at a time but most of them live on acres and a pack of BCs is quite easy to manage. My JS owning friends also tend to have at least 4 as well. Again an easy breed to run in a pack.

[Guest Willow]

One.

I had two of my own for a few years, plus blow-ins (fosters), so have had up to 4 at once, but since I stopped working in rescue, and one of my dogs was PTS earlier in the year I've realised how much I like just having one.

[Katie P]

Four......love having four :) could probably have five. Probably no more than that permanently. Mine are 4, 2, 1 and 4 months (although 4 month old is just here on a show holiday and going home soon) and I worry about there not being enough of a gap in ages so probably will not permanently add to my clan for another two years

[Crazy Daisy]

I have three but my son does junior handlers and wants his own dog (the Goldens are too big for him) but I just can't imagine going to 4. My little group works so well I don't want to mess it up. Looks like he'll just have to keep borrowing a dog at shows till he gets bigger for the Goldens.

[PuddleDuck]

We have 2 but ideally I would prefer either 1 or 3+ so I can take them out one at a time. But with big dogs in a small unit I can't see it happening anytime soon!

[Boxer05]

Three is my limit... But I said two when I had two. The size of my backyard is our limit now.

[Snout Girl]

We have 3 dogs

2 pugs (Bert 3 yrs and Bruce 10 mths)

1 border collie (sally 3 yrs).

If we wern't thinking of starting a family I would get number 4- another border collie, probably a rescue.

But with baby plans in the air 3 is our limit- and Bruce is enough to consider to be 2 dogs! :laugh:

[Little Gifts]

If we (my sister and I) don't have 3 dogs here the house feels sad and empty. We currently have 2 permanents and are in between foster dogs so it is awful! That should be rectified very soon though!

I recently house sat on my own for 5 larger breed dogs (one still a pup) and lets just say I was exhausted by the end of each day! Two adult labs lying on top of you for cuddles in a reclining chair is a health hazard!

[kayla1]

I have four which is enough for me at the moment. I have had five with fosters but found it a bit too much. If I wasn't working and had more time it would be easier to have more.

Mine are great together and don't need separating. It works well with two older medium size dogs, and two younger small dogs, and I like the fact that I can take two out and leave the other two at home.

Though I think if you have dogs with special needs it becomes harder to have more dogs. I've noticed it this year with one of my older dogs needing extra care, just trying to make sure the others still get the attention they need.

[Alibi]

I loved having two but now im down to none but soon to be at one, and will probably stay at one for quite awhile.

[mita]

I own 2, but have a Council permit for up to 4 (just in case). 2 is manageable at the moment, but in my dreams, I'd have a bunch of Tibbies like this Tibetan person :) :

[WreckitWhippet]

I've had as manay as 18 most of the time I have more than 6.

[Longclaw]

A couple of years ago I would have said that two was our upper limit. Now we have three... and it's great! I think we could easily take on one or two more on a temporary basis, but I would have to think long and hard about adding another dog permanently. It would depend a lot on how expensive the resulting divorce would be... :p

Seriously though, for me it's about time, energy and facilities. I wouldn't want to add another dog permanently primarily because, after recent events, I would want our house paddock set up differently and that won't be happening any time soon, major lotto wins aside.

We also have three cats. They are all lovely, but I think two is a more sensible number for us.

[MsKatie]

We have 2 and no intention of adding to it - small yard and both working. We did have 3 for quite a while and that worked well for us but hat was pre children and we had more time for them.

I think 2 is as many as I would like to have although have considered fostering in the future.