Too Many Dogs? How Many IS Too Many?
The answer to that question lies in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. Two is too many for some households, ten is too few for others. My own personal best number feels happiest at four. I cannot tell you why I feel that way. That is just when solid peace and contentment fully seem to set in. (at this time of editing, I only have two but one is 160# so he counts for more!) But truthfully, that is only because I am the sole human in residence at the moment. There is only so much one person can do, in my opinion. There would be more if I had more help!
I used to think I was the oddball when having four dogs raised so many eyebrows. Having run a rescue for thirteen odd years, four was the fewest residence most of the time. I once had nine here, five of them being puppies. That was a hectic time! I have had eight adult dogs at once, with four being either boarders or temporary fosters on their way somewhere else. Again, hectic!
Not too many dogs for this home. Photo courtesy of Katharine Weber.
Not being a fan of hectic, I have since learned to pace myself. Someday, when I have more room, both inside and outside and possibly another human to assist, I want more dogs as the status quo, but until that day comes, I will stick with a maximum of four permanent canine residents.
The reasons for this will shortly become clear. I have a check-list of minimum requirements for a multiple dog household. My own personal check list includes the basics, of course, such as appropriate affectionate attention to all, exercise (both physical and mental) sufficient to maintain canine (and human!) sanity, extra curricular dog activities when appropriate and cash flow sufficient to properly feed and vet all. Vetting, for me, also includes a monthly pet insurance payment, which actually makes the actual sickness and illness vetting process much easier. Peace of mind does have a price after all!
Your mileage may vary. But my own preferences aside, providing for physical and mental needs is important. Remember, your crew must trust that you can take care of their baseline needs in order to FULLY trust you, so this forms the basis of that trust. Do not take that need lightly.
Space is important as far as how many dogs you actually have room for in your home. Indoor space is important, but breed types can determine how important your indoor and outdoor space is. For example, if you have multiple Great Danes, although large, in general, they are not in need of a lot of exercise and running room so a large yard is not necessary. They are also known for liking to lounge around the house so again, as long as you have the space to accommodate such lounging, your house need not be large.
On the other side of the equation, having multiple true to type herding breeds such as Border Collies, will make you wish that you not only have a large fenced yard but a few sheep to herd as well! Know your breed preference requirements when deciding on a happy number for your household!
Multiples mean more work such as laundry, vacuuming, poop scooping, training, walking but also more fun, more laughs, more kisses and love. You have to decide what your own limit it.
One other caveat that is of vital importance: everyone should get along. No one should have to live with permanent barriers between dogs who get along so badly that that there are safety concerns. Mistakes WILL happen. Eventually. So if there’s no fixing the problem, consider re-homing the most recently added crew member who is part of the problem.
Now that I have covered all the high points of how many is appropriate, take the time to tell me in the spaces below, what your crew consists of and why if there is a why? Join me in celebrating a household of multiples!
Hi there, I urge you to assist your mother ASAP in locating resources for low cost spaying and neutering immediately. The situation that you are experiencing is not healthy for humans or canines. If you want to provide a zip code, I can reach out to contacts to do the same.
I have 9 standard poodles – last 5 were born my girl and i could not let them go because most wanted to breed them to ungodly sized mates – my girls are 50lb and less and to allow this mating would have been cruelty so i kept them. I have a large yard and not lacking for funds to take care of them – they are all spay and neutered and i feed them Orijen a high end. I cannot walk them because of my own disabilities but they run to their hearts content = my back yard is 15000 sq ft – they have fun and fighting is only at play – never anything to concern myself with. My crew is not caged or crated – they have dog tags that allow them to go in/out at their will – plexidor electronic doors – i know their respective barks and looks so i can always tell if an after hours outing is needed. I love my crew and now want one more to make the perfect 10pak – i groom my girls myself – they are happy,well behaved and a little chatty if someone comes to the door but them so would one or two dogs.
I think that you have done an impossible job in an impressive manner and I urge you to stick with your current number. The odds that adding another dog into this crew who currently have no issues will continue to run smoothly is pretty much non-existent. Please stick with your current dynamics!
I have 5 dogs. I am not in city limits and my dogs are very well taken care of. Spoiled actually too much. I have lived in my home with my dogs for 8 years. Shots and fixing done. Animal control and law enforcement know how many dogs i have but building and zoning started sending letters to my landlord a month ago adding 600 dollar fine doubling the fine every 2 weeks to get rid of my dogs. My neighbor broke her hip and is in a nursing facility so her granddaughter is watching the place and is thr one calling because she’s a disturbed individual. She gets bored and starts trouble for people. My dogs do not bark. They are opposite the spectrum of vicious. They are indoor. What harm are they to her? Also i only let 2 at a time out. Why take well taken care of animals out of my home to euthanize them? This is not fair. Is there something I can do to stop this because if not compliant soon they are forcing an eviction. Everything agency is closed right now except building and zoning to enforce things?
Hi there, unfortunately, we are not legal experts here and you are not proving a location that I can even ask followers for assistance with in your area. If the number of dogs that you have doesn’t violate the laws of your community, I am confused as how they can make your reduce your numbers? It sounds to me like you need an attorney but if you can provide an exact location, I will do my best to find someone to assist you. Please email me at Debby@pawsitivereactions.com
Yes, I have 5 dogs…the same number as the grandfather in Moonstruck. 3 of them belong to a sort of pack, and get along well, sleeping and playing with each other during the day. One is a mini poodle terrier mix, the other half boxer mix, the third a lab. Then there are two other dogs, Rocky who has some pit bull and usually stays separated in his own part of the yard, and Buddy who wants to sleep most of the day. Buddy is a border collie mix and most clever. People gave me 2 of the dogs, and the others I found at the pound. You do have to have a good deal of time to give some affection to each of them. All are vaccinated and all sleep in a kennel at night inside except Buddy who want tolerate a cage. Its other people I tire of telling me I have too many when they have NONE. I’ve even had people say you want another…..my brother has people drive by his house in the country and seeing his dogs, drop off a puppy over the fence! One thing about pets, they are loving, they do not judge, they forgive and they are family.
I have 4 small babies. 2 chihuahuas, 1 chichi (chinese crested/chihuahua) and 1 full cresty. 2 are hairless. They are my babies and are all spayed or neutered. I do not breed because I would never be able to let them go and I could never see letting babies go from mom. I also cannot even think of myself being a part of any abandoned pets…and if any of those were mine I would die. All of my dogs together fit on one cushion of the couch but they actually spread across and take up most of it. We were thinking of adding a new little to the bunch…another hairless chichi and we just might. Although thr back door is like a revolving door, they always make me laugh and smile. I may not have enough hands to pet all at once but I sure do try when they are all sitting and rolling on me for some love. The house is never dull and neither are our lives…i dont know what I would do without them in my life. I love them lile crazy!!!
We have 4 dogs in our household and this is a perfect no for us. 1 male working cocker spaniel age 4. 1 miniature poodle girl aged 6. 2 moyen poodle girls age 6 months. For the first couple of months of getting the pups I was hard work. Now they’ve all settled into there pack position and it’s easy. They’re fed a high quality raw food diet which suits them well. We have a very extensive insurance policy to cover any unforeseen vets bills. So with they’re food, vets, insurance and sundries it works out to around £10 per week per dog. They’re walked for around 2/3 hrs per day, off lead in extensive wood and parkland. I love my dogs and spending time with them, they’re happy, healthy, well kept dogs. Also being poodles no sheding. 4 is my perfect no of dogs.