hi all, i have a question for you.and ill be honest so the replys i get are genuine.
i have a tiny bitch yorkie two rotts one of each sex.all are very healthy dogs all insured and all eating a good diet.im not skimping on the food i buy or the leads or anything they might need.they all have theyre own beds which tbh hardly get used as they like the sofa or kitchen floor lol,well mags the yorkie lays on troys back :-)
i have three children two at full time school and i am going to college to study my level three breed specific dog grooming which is one day a week and from 9-4.two rotts stay at home and mags will come with me like last year.my other half finishes work around 2pm the very latest so dogs are never left too long.
my question to you is how many dogs is too many??
i can afford happily to feed water house insure another dog but am wondering if im going to get very funny looks and bad remarks from people walking four dogs.and very differnt breeds too.ive been thinking about a fourth dog and this would have to be my last one for now as i actually know i couldnt do five.lol i havent the car space...
other half says whatver you want you look after them so its your choice,and its not much help.my vet calls my car noah's ark because all my animals have theyre jabs on the same day,lol lol lol.i keep holding off from getting a new pup/dog because im really wondering if i DO actually know my limits or am i just being cautious??
anything anyone can say will be of help,maybe youve thought of something i havent.
thanx guys.x
edited to say when i go to college if i have new pup by then i shall take pup to mums house so he/she isnt left alone too long and when its old enough i shall take with me for social reasons and car travel ect.

Well, my mother has 7 and she has had more than that when showing and working with them, she can never have enough. And there are plenty of others on here with nice large packs. If you have the room, the money, the time for each and every one, have well mannered dogs and train them well, then there is no limit at all. :-)

I always say you must always plan for the next 12-15 years of your life not just your life at present which is where many make the mistake when having dogs. You need to think of your life plan as it is a very long commitment. If working hours are likely to change how will you cope with the dogs, will there always be family/friends or if you can afford it dog walkers etc to hand? If you can happily look to the future (as best as you can) and know the dogs will be ok, then the number does not matter so much.

Im no help either - I have three toy breed - and working on number 4

Im no help either - I have three toy breed - and working on number 4

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol.

> I always say you must always plan for the next 12-15 years of your life not just your life at present which is where many make the mistake when having dogs. You need to think of your life plan as it is a very long commitment. If working hours are likely to change how will you cope with the dogs, will there always be family/friends or if you can afford it dog walkers etc to hand? If you can happily look to the future (as best as you can) and know the dogs will be ok, then the number does not matter so much.

well i plan on gettin the salon finished at the end of this month so i will work from home.i always take into account the work thing just as i do my kids.same thing.a day a the beach doesnt go ahead either without the dogs or i leave hubby early so i can get dogs out over the park.thanks for your reply it really helps i appreciate it.x

all I can say is lucky you to beable to have them. You know your lifestyle and finances go for it !!

I have three, and feel that's enough for us........don't get me wrong i'd love to have more dogs. But feel this is plenty, and feel our family is now complete :), though we have offered to foster again. But for shorter periods.

> i DO actually know my limits or am i just being cautious

It sounds as if you have your life well under control. If you think you can manage another one then go for it. TBH 4 dogs are not much different to 3 in terms of management. To my mind the big jump is from 2 to 3.
Good luck :-)

I have 4, and to be honest, I think that is one too many. My problem is that one of the four is male, whilst the other 3 are female ;-) Seasons are a nightmare as I have to keep them separate. They never come in at the same time, though the last time they came in one after the other, overlapping slightly. Walking them is fine. I have 2 on either side :-D

> Seasons are a nightmare

Yes I see what you mean. We have 2 of each (one neutered boy) and they can be separated into 2 sets of 2 during seasons. That works well enough. I suppose what I meant was that with just 2 dogs they can go everywhere with you if you want them to. Once you have more than 2 you have to start leaving some behind now and then.

I bet your 2 girls will align themselves quite soon, they usually do over time then hopefully that will make your life easier LindyLou ;-)

I've got 6 private dogs and always about 10+ rescues, so I am in no position to give you an answer ;).

However, I think that if you cannot cope anymore, your day to day life suffers and of course the dogs suffer then one needs to be honest with one self.

I know people in rescue who have accumulated over 20 own dogs on top of the rescue dogs... Sheer madness IMHO.

> I always say you must always plan for the next 12-15 years of your life not just your life at present

I agree with this, it's a very important part of the decision.

I have hundreds of dogs (always did exaggerate), and I live alone.  But I do have a very reliable dog sitter - who moved in and slept on my settee back in January when I had a bad accident. 

And I saw a solicitor and made a will 8 years ago.  Not being morbid, but the horror of being found dead, and the RSPCA placing my dogs!!!! 

Then I saw my vet, who knows my dogs well, and has agreed to be consulted on the placing of my beloved dogs.  Border Collie must go to someone interested in obedience, Yorkshire Terriers to someone who likes active dogs, Chihuahuas to a warm lap etc....    Get the idea?

I'm lucky in as much as my vet actually said he will make himself available to collect my dogs, even if he's not on duty.  And I feel secure in the knowledge that someone who actually knows them, will be consulted. 

So, for all of us, the number of dogs will vary.  What suits one, will not suit another.

Oh, by the way - I aim to outlive them all!  :-)  :-)  :-) 

Right now, in the house there is 7 dogs, 5 of which are pups.  Going from 2 to 7 has been a big jump!!!  But we are looking at keeping a total of 5.  My aunt used to have 14 Dobes at her house.  It just depends on your lifestyle, finances, and insanity level LOL

> It just depends on your lifestyle, finances, and insanity level LOL

YESSSS!!!!  Insanity   You've got it in one! 

> My aunt used to have 14 Dobes at her house.

I feel so normal now you've said that.  Even I don't think I could cope with 14 Dobes! 

3's enough for me right now but i supose if i never had my Rottie i could have 2 more BULLYS :-D
id love a farm id have lot more then but then i dont no if i could split myself between them all and give them all enough love,

> I feel so normal now you've said that.  Even I don't think I could cope with 14 Dobes! 

It was in her younger years, when she was really heavy into dobermans and showing/breeding etc.  Now she has downsized, and has 3 Dobes, and a Min Pin LOL

> i dont no if i could split myself between them all and give them all enough love,

That's what my family said to me when i was looking at getting number 2. IS this going to work? Have you the time? What about in 12-15yrs?
Well i know this could work, i used to walk and look after his Lab who was PTS last year. I do have the time as i know have 1 more isn't that much more work after getting through puppyhood. If either of my Bernese live to 12-15yrs i am a very lucky girl..

To the OP you are in a settles relationship, with kids, have other dogs and starting your next level of dog grooming. My question is how long does this part of the course last for? Once completed would you then set up your own business? If so how much time is going to be put into that?
I'm thinking with getting a pup and it seems you really want one, when would be the best time for you to do this while you are looking to embark on a new career, that in itself will be stressful, getting your name known, building up clients and getting the money coming in..  Would it be before or after you set up? What breed, as some as you know are more demanding than others. lief expectancy could have another bearing as well.

all very interesting posts i must say!!lol.
i have been waiting and thinking for around 7 months now.always keeping my eye out for pups.i was looking at either a toy poodle or cocker spaniel id love a pure white cocker but theres none about.i did look into a boxer (as i do love so many breeds )but the boxer wasnt suited to the dogs i already have.i found out that although they are very lovely dogs i wouldnt be able to cope with the exersize level they need.my rotts are lazy,lol.they love a run round the woods and a swim but soon tire out and they head home.its lovely actually.i just know a boxer could run for days so unfortunatly i have had to re think the boxer.so i am thinking in the right direction on how the dog would be happy ect.....my business will be at home im having the building built at the moment and im so exited its great.the level three is one year long but only one day a week.like i mentioned before hubby is never home after 2pm,and actually its really annoying as you know how us women do like our space lol.
i do not intend to have anymore children,cant in fact so its not about the dogs bein pushed aside ect its about how many is too many.i think i shall go ahead and start looking at some more pups.
thanks for all the comments some have made me laugh lol.

I suppose its what you get used to, I have 2 at the moment but often 3 or 4 with day lodgers. For me 4 is enough to keep an eye on though!

In reply to tamara - "i was looking at either a toy poodle or cocker spaniel id love a pure white cocker but theres none about" You will definately struggle to find a white cocker as its not a colour permitted on the breed standard "Colour-Various. In self colours no white allowed except on chest."

In reply to tamara - "i was looking at either a toy poodle or cocker spaniel id love a pure white cocker but theres none about" You will definately struggle to find a white cocker as its not a colour permitted on the breed standard "Colour-Various. In self colours no white allowed except on chest."
yes i know so ive given up lol.

Very sensible. A white cocker would be almost guaranteed to have health problems.

>I bet your 2 girls will align themselves quite soon, they usually do over time then hopefully that will make your life easier LindyLou 

Misty, I hope not! The older one comes into season every 20 weeks or so and it would be even more of a nightmare if her daughter followed her timing ;-) I'm hoping to take one more litter out of her if possible and then have her spayed, so that won't be a problem. :-D

To the OP, if you can manage to cope with walking all of the dogs at once then I would say go for it :-D Taking 4 out that weigh between 25 and 35 kilos each is a bit daunting for someone who is only 5 feet tall :-D but I still manage it. I think the extra pounds I've put on over the years is helping :-)

If and whenever you stop enjoying  dogs in your life then you will know you have too many

I have 5, 4 Vallhunds and an Elkhound. As I also have 4 children aged 19,18,14 and 11 plus a husband there is normally always someone at home. The dogs can all be walked together but if I'm road walking I tend to do 3 and 2 (mainly because I get fed up of all the looks and stupid comments.) We sometimes look after relatives/friends dogs and I must admit that extra dog does make a difference.
I have said that I think having 5 Elkhounds in the house would be a lot different but I'm sure some of the other Elkhound owners can comment on that!

We have 3 spaniels and I'm working on a 4th next year. We'd have no trouble at all if the boys hadn't fallen out over the girl a few years back - my fault for being inexperienced and allowing it to escalate, and I would not have 2 un-neutered males so close in age again. But apart from sofa space sometimes being at a premium, it's fine! :-)

I had 4 dogs at one point but they all varied in ages, it was "That's a handful you've got there" comments that really cheesed me off, every person thinking they are original (If I'd had a £ for every time I go that comment I'd have a far newer car on my driveway!).   Now, I have 2 and it's so easy, I don't know if I could go back to 3 let alone 4.

Well if we're going for original comments, I would add 'you're going to have a job cleaning them up' and all similar remarks - I have 3 long coated spaniels, yes it can be hard work! :-D

I have 9 and yes it is a great deal of work but I think of it as seperate and more enjoyable work than my usual day to day stuff, I always say the dogs are a great distraction  and quite often keep me sane in my very stressed life :-) so if you can manage one more then go for it.

Well I have three BCs and to be honest didnt notice any extra work between 2 and 3.  I compete in agility and all dogs have 121 time with me.  I have a hubby but no kids and dont plan on changing that.  I do work full time but hubby is on call at home so the longest the dogs get left is 3 hours.  I wont go out in an evening unless one of us is at home or we have been at home all day to give them massive walks etc. 

The most I would go to is 4 but my house would have to increase in size before that could happen!

I work full time and we have two dogs 24/7 with us at work. I would live another but OH has said no until one of us are at home full time. The office could not cope, but our young surveyor may be getting a GSD soon (we hope) so that would make three here but we are nuts on dogs all of us.

I would also only get another pup in te next few years, or as Im approaching OLD fart it would have to be an older rescue I too want to outlive mine my brother has agreed to have ours if anything happens as he is 4 years younger than me.

three newfs ( would like four but oh says NO!!! ) but no kids ( thank god ).
Also i work 7.15am to 3.00pm five days a week,OH works from home three days a week and 9.30am to 6.30pm the other two days.
So they are only left on there own for 6 hours twice a week and i love that my MIL goes round to let them out on those two days and looks after whoever stays behind when we go to a show or out for a meal ( very rare these days ).
Great life, would not have it any other way.

just to say i added to my family today.she gorgeous and a very happy little soul,off to the vet in the morning for a check up and then all day with me playing with me.
im so pleased i got her in the end.
thanks for all the great advise and stories.xxxx

> i added to my family today

Tell us more ...

Oh do tell Tamara lol - and Congratulations
Let you into a secret I am also adding this weekend - so long journey ahead for us 7 and a half hours

Send me a picture Tam! :-D

hi to all who asked to know more bout the pup, shes a black toy poodle,9 weeks old now, had her first jab yesterday and runs around the house like a loony!i love her to bits shes amazing.
i had a nightmare finding the right puppy i was getting really impatetient and stressed thinkin id never get my new puppy.i got to a stage where i would sit on my lap top(im not kidding) for hours just typing in all kinds of things to find poodle sites with decent breeders.i found loads but most had no pups or pups who were booked before the mating.i went on three or four lists and got told that either i couldnt have a little girl and i was to start off with a boy or there wasnt a little girl born. :-(
anyways i travelled to some good and some really bad places i called a few breeders advertising puppies and asked if i could just come and pick their brains for advise on health ect.and one lady was so lovely she helped me pretty much all the way.
so i got my puppy on thursday(i think lack of sleep now lol) and shes already got a place deep in my heart.im so over the moon with her.im sleeping now where as before i got her i would worry myself stupid at night toss and turn in the night is this the right thing am i being selfish will it suit the other dogs how will my kids react,but you know what its all great and id not change a thing. i actually went through a stage of not sleeping ,well the day after i got her i was physically shattered so bad we fell asleep me mikey(my 3 year old baby boy)and lolla on the sofa.ive not done that in ages.my mother in law said its my brain resting now ive forfilled what i needed to do.

how stressful can buying a new puppy be.......its such a big thing isnt it,but shes wonderful.i love her to bits and im so lucky my male rotts is totally besotted with her so now he has maggie asleep on his back and lolla under his chin its so nice to see.xxxxxx