Enough is enough

We have two currently and will probably have a third within the next two years. We are on a waiting list for a puppy but in no hurry to bring one home.

The original plan was to bring a puppy home when Edan and CJ are 10 (they'll be 8 in less than a month) because we wanted healthy dogs to help teach the young pup. I put myself on a waiting list now for a few reasons; the biggest one being time. If the dog I want isn't available in a 2014 or 2015 litter I won't feel rushed to get one home. I can wait for the pup I want personality and structure wise.

We aren't sure how things will work with three dogs because we've only ever had two at a time but we'll learn fast enough.
 
I actually think one is the perfect number IF someone is home daily. Two if the home is alone daily or one and a cat if there is a good bond.

Three is definitely a challenge. However, my shepherd is really fearful (feral pup) and can't do a lot. My older sheltie gets so ridiculously carsick it's miserable to take her anywhere (I live 25 minutes on mountain roads). I want to have an active traveler and training companion so, #3. The two stay home with my husband who is a homebody. The pup and I plan to roam the world (hope he's up for it!).

We plan to take an RV trip this fall. We have a 19 foot RV. The shepherd and the pup will go. My older sheltie will stay with my mom and avoid all the car travel.

It's definitely a lot more logistics (travel, vet, training, feeding) but so far so good.
 
I guess I am the odd person out here with 9. Eight are rescues ranging in ages from 13 down to 5...and one non rescue who is almost 4. Breeds are 4 shelties, 3 oversized pommies, one collie and one yorkie. It is a full time job and I love it. Both my husband and I are retired and our days are pretty much 100% dog devoted. Travel is out...but that is fine with us. My husband worked at GE R&D in ultrasonic testing and traveled extensively world wide during his entire career...he is more than happy not to have to travel any more! And I have always been a homebody...probably from growing up on a small dairy farm where cows needed milking 2x daily and travel was just something that other people did. So, for us, multiple dogs are a joy and keep us ultra busy and young at heart.

Trini
 
Our number has crept up to 5, which is one too many for me. I think 3 or 4 is perfect, and even 2 isn't bad except that if you take one somewhere, you're leaving one behind.

We added number 5 because I wanted a show puppy and she's the daughter of one of my show dogs, but 5 is tough just from the standpoint of giving them all attention. I constantly feel like I'm neglecting one or the other. And keeping them all groomed is a weekend event.

Four is manageable, but three is probably my ideal number. The ages of mine at 9, two littermates at 7, 4 and 10 months.
 
Pack leader said:
:confused2:How many fur babies is enough? I guess 3! Told the GF I was getting another one and WOW!!! Not pretty!! I told her Bear & Blue needed a criptic blue sister but apparently I have enough.
Click to expand...

We have 5 at our house, but that includes 2 rambunctious aussies.
 
That was indeed part of my #3 consideration. I took Melli out and Shay was really sad even with the husband home with him. When I have taken the pup out, the older dogs get a break and relax. This will be happening a lot since I will be training 1-2x weekly with him and doing traveling. My husband feels he doesn't have to just sit inside and pet the dog, he can do things outside and come in and visit with the two.

By attrition, Cubby should be last man standing (of the dogs, cats, goats, and llamas). I am designing it so there will be one older but not elderly dog when we hit retirement and want to travel more in 5-10 years.
 
I have one. I would love another, but I'm in an apartment, already beyond my allowed 2 pets (I got permission to get the 3rd), and I'm on the second floor. Taking one dog up and down stairs can have it's challenges, I don't want a second. So I am forcing myself to wait until I have a house with a yard before I get #2. After that, we'll have to see if I end up with more than 2.

Besides the living situation, my other reason for not wanting another dog is that's double cost! I've thought about the financial consequences of getting #2. Right now, Missy is pretty darn spoiled. She does flyball, which isn't terribly expensive but it's not free. She takes agility classes which are $80 a month. She also goes to doggy daycare every once in a while and that's $25 each time. She does a lot of stuff the average pet dog doesn't get to do (average in the USA, not on this forum lol). Right now I'm not exactly struggling to pay for these activities, but if I got another dog, I would have to significantly cut back. We would probably only be able to do flyball. Puppies are expensive! After purchasing the puppy, vet bills, puppy classes... I already did it once recently so I know how much that first year costs. Right now I just want to enjoy my time with Missy, one on one, and all the activities we get to do together. We'll worry about getting another in a couple years. Maybe I'll meet Mr. Right, and he'll help support my dog activities lol.
 
I have one. I would like to have 2. However, we don't live in a huge a home and I don't have a fenced in yard. We also travel a fair bit, camping when we can finding dog friendly motels when we can't. We both work during the day, sometimes at night but he very rarely goes longer than 4-5 hours without one of us stopping in and taking him to do his business and have a little play session. And it is only 3 days out of the week where there isn't at least one of us home all day.

Sometimes I think a second would be great for him to have another dog home to play with when we are gone, and just in general... I'm not so trusting of dog parks these days. But, at the same time he's a mama's boy and I am able to give him all of the attention he wants. He also lives with three cats (like someone else posted-- right at the edge of crazy cat lady) so he has their company during the day.

I wouldn't be too overly concerned about vet bills if I were to bring one home now; Watson is 3 so I would only have one to worry about getting puppy shots and neutered and when Watson starts to experience age related issues the pup would still be a young dog at that point. But, I don't think I would want to have to worry about the expenses of 3 pups all at once.

My cats are 8, 5, 3. And there is a reason for that.... I would not be able to handle losing them all close together... not to say things can't come up and take one too soon... but it definitely was part of my thought process when I got them all. Just some more food for thought.
 
We just added a third a couple months ago. I will say that 3 is a lot when one is a puppy. My husband and I both work full time, so it feels like all of our time at home is spent training and loving on the dogs. It's not a complaint, but it is a lot.

When Enzo is older I think 3 will be a good number (I should note that we got a third since we are active in agility). Bentley is 7, Lexi is 4, and Enzo is 18 weeks.

I could see having 4 as long as my husband or I weren't working as many hours as we do now.
 
Thanks everyone you all have great points. Some i never thought about. I have a six acre yard three acre woods and live a quarter mile off the road and am always with my pack. One more wold be fun but maybe i will wait a few years. Thanks again for all the input
 
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