Just for curiosity's sake, how many dogs is too many??

The more the merrier or less is more?

Eight, if just a Home with Two Saint Bernard's One Great Dane Three German Shep's One Mastiff One Newfoundland. Hard work but was enjoyable at times. Four is nice.

I think its individual. 1 is enough for many people, larger numbers are right for others. I have 3 and that's quite enough for me an din the future I can see it being one depending on how my life pans out

I used to try to stick to the 6 is enough for 1.5 people to look after - the .5 being my sig.other who was working full time outside the home.   But his contribution was primarily financial!!!    However once we started to have oldies, that number was often higher as we kept those we selected to keep from our litters, for life.    And the 6 was without including puppies/litters.

We are now down to just two, having ended our bloodline, so for this sake of this poll, that's what I have said.

Are you still stating that you're not researching?

Tooolz, I thought this was the place to ask questions

Eight, if just a Home with Two Saint Bernard's One Great Dane Three German Shep's One Mastiff One Newfoundland. Hard work but was enjoyable at times. Four is nice.


Wow - I can imagine having eight small/medium size breeds, but not large breeds!

> Eight, if just a Home with Two Saint Bernard's One Great Dane Three German Shep's One Mastiff One Newfoundland. Hard work but was enjoyable at times. Four is nice.

Throw a couple of Rottie's in and that is my idea of heaven - I'll be the crazy retired dog lady living in a sprawling estate with all those pooches  - and then I woke up from the dream!

Haven't answered, think the result will be pointless but maybe good for a headline.

Massive difference between 2 and 5 dogs.

Will the site only let you have 5 options ?

How about
0-1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8+

Have you picked up your pup yet?

Yes, we have had her a couple of weeks.  She is absolutely adorable and a very quick learner.  I will get round to changing my pic and sig at some point.

The topic title is 'how many dogs are too many' so I clicked none, as in it's not possible to have too many dogs, provided they're all cared for, trained and socialised of course. Then I realised that the poll was 'how many dogs do you have'. Doh! It won't let me change but I'd be anotehr vote for 2 - 5.

> The topic title is 'how many dogs are too many' so I clicked none, as in it's not possible to have too many dogs, provided they're all cared for, trained and socialised

Whoop!  Whoop!  So glad to hear this one.  Yes, I have loads of dogs and I don't feel the need to justify the numbers.  I can't imagine how I would react to ANYONE  who dared to tell me that I have too many.

You have too many when they are not looked after properly! So one dog is too many for some people
Louise

One now, but have had two in the past.
I think two is fine for us, one each. Looked after my SIL's dog for six weeks and I was doing all the walking as OH was working then. I thought then that two was enough, three was just one too many. Maybe I would have felt differently if they were smaller as all were large breeds, not sure.

Currently, given our ages and health, one is enough though I think the dog would like another dog to hang out with.

For me the issue isn't dogs, it's everything else.  If someone has the scope to care for and love 6 or 10 or 20 dogs - why not?  But if someone doesn't have the scope to care for their one dog they shouldn't have one.

I love having our one dog, so far, and we've only had him a few months.  I think in the future i would consider a second, though possibly a smaller breed adult rather than another large breed puppy.

Depends on breed/size and how many people have main care and how much time.

For me six 20kg size dogs is the Max I can lead walk together.

I do occasional single dog/split walks, but prefer that all dogs get maximum time.

I'd say there is no set amount. Some can barely manage a single dog let along two and then others can easerly look after 8+ dogs.

Chaumsong I did that too! Opps!! I should learn to slow down lol

> I'd say there is no set amount.

Yes you're right Jo.  It's a fact that people are pretty gobsmacked when they see me with the gang.  7 years ago I sold a pup to a lady who was into obedience with a Rottie and a Border Collie.  She had one old lady, a Jack Russell.  She passed muster when I met her with her husband and all of her dogs.  I went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and my Border Collie opened the door letting all of them into the garden.  I could see through the window that the couple were mingling with the gang.  The following day I received an email advising that she was a temperament assessor for rehoming dogs.  Not that it would have made a difference if I'd known.  To be told that every dog was a credit to me made me feel warm inside.

I have loads of outside space and I interact with them all the time.  It's not always about training with them, I also get on the floor and play daft with them.  But I would say Jo that it all depends how much time you are going to spend on them. Even my vet says it's a credit to know how well behaved mine are. Not everyone would want to spend such great amounts of time with them.  I prefer dogs to people so having dozens of dogs suits me. 

Thanks for your interesting answers :) I only have two but most people I know who breed/show have at least six dogs. A friend of mine has about 12 dogs. I've always thought she has too many, particularly as only six or do are show dogs - the others are either retired from the ring or never even started a show career. The show dogs are looked after quite well (allowed inside in the evening, nicely groomed, etc) but I feel for the others

And it doesn't matter if some of you clicked the wrong button on the poll, it's only a bit of fun!

Kenny, I would say there is a huge difference between having one dog and not having a dog at all! I'm not after accurate results, it's only a bit of fun.

6 dogs is just right for me, but 4 dogs would be right on a practical level, assuming similar energy levels and health (4 dogs per person walking rule round here and I am solo).

So I have 8 with wildly varying needs

If you breed and keep your dogs for life you will almost invariably end up with around 6, half of which will be veterans.

My current 6 range from 1 - 13 years.

I lost one last year at 15 1/2, and only then was able to keep another puppy, now a year old.

I also don't re*home those that don't reach the top, so yes am likely to only have some truly competitive show dogs, but like to show them until around 12 years of age.

> Yes you're right Jo.  It's a fact that people are pretty gobsmacked when they see me with the gang.  7 years ago I sold a pup to a lady who was into obedience with a Rottie and a Border Collie.  She had one old lady, a Jack Russell.  She passed muster when I met her with her husband and all of her dogs.  I went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and my Border Collie opened the door letting all of them into the garden.  I could see through the window that the couple were mingling with the gang.  The following day I received an email advising that she was a temperament assessor for rehoming dogs.  Not that it would have made a difference if I'd known.  To be told that every dog was a credit to me made me feel warm inside. I have loads of outside space and I interact with them all the time.  It's not always about training with them, I also get on the floor and play daft with them.  But I would say Jo that it all depends how much time you are going to spend on them. Even my vet says it's a credit to know how well behaved mine are. Not everyone would want to spend such great amounts of time with them.  I prefer dogs to people so having dozens of dogs suits me.

I have the one currently but hoping to add a second one way or another. Two will be the limit for a while as I live woth my mother who is afraid of dogs, took long enough to get Fay and the look on her face when I said a wanted a pup back from her lol I don't think I could get away with more than two for a few years.
Although my friend currently has 7 bit when I first met her and she lived with her mum they had 10 but they have had more than that before. Even when they had the big pack all were looked after, well behaved, walked ect. Treated better than some I know who only have two dogs.
Was a shock when I first went up there as I use to be afraid of dogs too but my new friend having the pack and every week at college we had to go to a great dane breeders kennel so I had to get over it.

Hello Everyone, I don't think there is an answer to this. The only thing that prevents me from having more dogs is money. I have two dogs, a flat coat and a pointer, if I could afford it I would add in a spaniel or two, and a JRT, always wanted a sight hound and an elkhound to add to the mix of personalities, but have to be realistic. To my mind, and agreeing with other posters, there is no real answer to this question, you have as many dogs as you can look after properly as in feed, treat illnesses and exercise. I wild camped once on an estate in Lanarkshire many, many years ago and the owner bred Westies. Before I left the owner let me meet all her dogs, she took them out into a field, there must have been at least 20, I couldn't tell them apart but she could, and they obeyed her every command. All very happy dogs. No such thing as too many dogs, so long as you are in a position to look after them.

It is nice to see that I am not the only Fool. Alas we have now lost the Saints, Dane and Shep's but we have added a Basset, a Bulldog to go with the Mastiff and the Newfs. May be another Newf by the end of the year. A typical day would start with letting everyone out and quickly followed by a Feeding Frenzy. This is then followed by what is possibly the quietest part of the day with everyone watching me with my Coffee and Toast. In addition to being sat with the News on the TV we are able to observe a steady stream of slobber drooling down to the floor and have become very adapt in "Ducking" when one of the Newfs decides to shake their heads. Following this we De-Slobber the Ceiling and Walls and attempt to tidy up whilst everyone else attempts to make as much mess as possible. By now we have started shouting, "No" "Leave" "Sit" "Get in here now" "Get Out" "Oh for Gods Sake". All attempts at speaking calmly whist trying to explain the TV Remotes are not Toys nor is the T-Towels Tug Ropes, have long gone and by now I am looking for the Valium. We then get a bit of a lull as they all crash out and on the rare occasion I may even get a little siesta. Sadly this does not last long for as soon as they all go quite, Off Goes The Damb Parrot. "Arnie" "Arnie" "what are you doing, No, No oh for #@#~$*^". Even on the rare occasion of any sleep we awake to someone over the Legs, Back and Head, more slobber in your hair, mouth, ear and as you attempt to stand, it feels like you're in traction. When you attempt to have a cuddle with One, you get Mobbed by all with absolutely no care taken on how your attacked. On an evening we just accept things as they are now and just Sit straight on the floor with them on the Sofas and Chairs. Thankfully we do get to watch what programmes we want to, or at-least at the moment.

So HOW MANY DOGS ARE TOO MANY?

We've got 2 Elkhounds and 6 vallhunds. They all live in the house together, never left on their own as there is always someone in (I live with my husband and 4 grown up children). They are exercised in different groups of 2,2,1,1 and 1 (by different family members) throughout the day. Old lady Ruby who's just turned 15 this week is happy to potter around at home.
With this many dogs,my home is set up for them. Hard flooring throughout, leather sofas, crates set up in the front room for the vallhunds, Elkhounds are left loose in the house at night. We have stair gates at the bottom of the stairs, the kitchen door, across the hallway and our porch is also gated.
I am probably more paranoid about housework than people without dogs, hoovering at least once a day, bedding changed daily, floors mopped etc. It is hard work but they mean the world to me.

> It is hard work but they mean the world to me.

Amen to that.

to SKV

How normal you sound.     

> Hard flooring throughout, leather sofas, crates set up in the front room for the vallhunds, Elkhounds are left loose in the house at night. We have stair gates at the bottom of the stairs, the kitchen door, across the hallway and our porch is also gated. <br />I am probably more paranoid about housework than people without dogs, hoovering at least once a day, bedding changed daily, floors mopped etc. It is hard work but they mean the world to me.

It takes me about an hour a day (half hour morning & night) to tidy up the utility room, where they sleep at night and spend part of the day. I do a quick clean of the main house every morning, basically just hoovering, and another just before dinner to make everything nice for the evening. I'm the only one home during the day so while I get help walking the dogs (two of my own, & one belonging to a family member), it's up to me to do all the feeding/grooming/cleaning/etc etc.

Even though I've only got two, I couldn't do it if I wasn't at home during the day!