The Multi-dog Household: How Many is “Just Right”?

Do you own one dog? Two? More? Have you always wanted a houseful of dogs, a veritable pack of all breeds and sizes, racing to greet you when you come home from work each evening? Do you ever fantasize about going "canine overboard"? When you see the Dogs Available photos in your local newspaper "just to see what’s out there," do you really want to take them all home? According to recent statistics, about one-third of American dog owners own one dog. A significantly greater percentage own two dogs, and after that the numbers drop off. But does that mean that owning one or two dogs is the "best" number to have? How many dogs is the right number for you?



The benefits and pleasure of having multiple dogs are many: watching dogs play and interact with each other can be fascinating and enriching experiences. Developing that pet-owner bond with multiple animals, and enjoying the richness of their subtle differences, even within the same breed, can be a true delight. And there are shelters, rescue groups, and local pounds just brimming with great dogs needing great homes. There are plenty of selling points for why you should grow your canine family.



Dog ownership requires many things from us humans: love, patience, and a sense of humor rank as highly important, but perhaps time, money, and space are the more limiting resources. Let’s take a look at these factors a little more closely.



Time

Ask yourself the following questions before making any real decisions. And don’t get discouraged. This is just information gathering at this point. How you weigh all the factors comes later.



• Do you work full time?

• Do you have other responsibilities that take you away from your home (e.g. volunteer work at the firehouse, ambulance corps or other activities)?

• Do your hobbies involve your dogs? Do you love to go fishing? Can the dogs come along? How about hanging around with you while you garden or work in your woodshop? Some hobbies lend themselves more readily to sharing with dogs (like hiking) while some just don’t (yoga, perhaps or jewelry-making)!

• Do you prefer longhaired dogs or breeds that require special grooming – done either by you or requiring regular trips to a professional? This is a time commitment to consider.

• Are you responsible for the care of either children or elderly family members on a regular basis? Do they live with you, nearby, or farther away?



Some dogs need much more interaction and attention than others, but all dogs need daily exercise and attention, and most need at least weekly grooming. Take a long hard look at your schedule before you go on, and if need be, jot down how much time each day you have available right now, without changing anything, to spend on canine care. Now answer this: do you have another ten percent? Twenty percent? Just how much play is available in your schedule? Play means time that you currently are spending "playing" – watching TV, or engaging in recreation or leisure. How much of that time would you like to re-commit to dog time?



Space

The indoor and outdoor space requirements for multiple dogs are obviously going to be breed and size dependent. How many Chihuahuas can you fit in the space one Saint Bernard takes up?



But do consider the following:



• More dogs mean more dog poop. Are you ready to increase your time spent picking up the yard, if that’s where they’ll go?

• Overcrowding can lead to illness if you’re not scrupulous about keeping clean and tidy. Smaller spaces can work only if you’re ready to be Mr. or Mrs. Clean. If that’s not you… take another look at your options.

• Can we talk…about hair? Indoors, we could be looking at daily vacuuming, depending on the breed. Two German Shepherds when they are blowing their coats? You have to vacuum or sweep twice a day! Two toy poodles? Not a consideration.

• What do you drive? Is there room now for your family plus your dog? What happens when you increase the room allocated to canines? Is there still room for the car seat?

• Ever try to cook dinner with a German Shepherd dog in the kitchen? Some dogs have a knack for lying precisely everywhere all at once, and being thoroughly in the way at all times. Now double that. If the thought makes you smile, keep reading!





Money

No matter how you slice it, time and space constraints and challenges can almost always be solved by money. A bigger crate, another leash, trading in the sports car for the minivan… money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy lots of fun dog toys and equipment! If you are on a fixed income or a tight budget, what will happen if a dog falls ill, gets hurt, or just needs regular professional grooming? Your time and space needs won’t double or triple with additional dogs, but for every dog you add, your dog food bill will. And your regular veterinary care bill, which includes vaccinations, flea, tick and heartworm preventative, and basic care will also increase the full amount with each dog (unless you can find a vet that offers "bulk discounts" – worth asking!).



Making the money part of the equation work out is probably the trickiest part for most of us, but taking a sober look at your budget and your choices, you may find that there are ways to make just one more dog work out. The rewards of multidog ownership are worth every penny.



Puppy City has been around for over 50 years, we pride ourselves in being the home for quality puppies for sale in Brooklyn, New York. We also have all of the supplies you will ever need, from dog food, to wee wee pads, to all the treats you will ever need in a lifetime. Visit us at http://www.PuppyCityNY.com