People come up on different sides of this issue. Some think that if you have two dogs it's better. The dogs will play with each other and tire themselves out. They have each other as buddies.
Others have more than two dogs. They feel that three or four makes them a family.
Some folks prefer to have one dog at a time. They feel that they can deal better with only handle one dog. It may be a financial issue, also. Dogs can be expensive when you add up medical bills, food, etc.
What do you think is a good number of dogs to own? Is that what you own now?
One dog is better in my personal opinion.
Easier to handle, less bills. When you only have a single dog, the dog is more attached to you. If you have two dogs, there is a chance they are attached to each other more than to you. For most dog owners, they want to be the dog's best friend. You don't want competition from your second dog.
Depends on the space you have and the type of dog.
If it's a Bangkeaw then it's definitely just one. Unless you have lots of space and you can build separate fenced areas for each of them. Bangkeaws, generally speaking, do not get on very well with each other or anyone else for that matter, except their owners. They love their owners so devotedly and so jealously that they are not willing to share their owners with anyone.
If it's Poodles, then two or three would be nice. They are very active and they need some buddies to keep them occupied. Otherwise they will be bugging you to keep them company. If it's Miniature Pinchers, then the more the merrier. I have seen one friend with about a dozen of them. Interestingly, Miniature Pinchers were originally bred to be watchdogs. They certainly can make a lot of noise when they sense any intruders.
Personally, two is enough for me provided I'm financially stable to pay for their life expenses. And it's always better if they were spayed or neutered just to avoid future issues relating to heating cycles. I also try to make it a rule to get one a little later (after the former is well adjusted).
However, this is never the case. I've always had more than 4 dogs in my entire life especially since the ones I do not own are also taken care by me. My mom or sister will have 2 or 3 dogs and sometimes more, and I end up being their caretaker.
Well, I had 4 dogs, and then 3, and now I'm down to 2. Even though I miss my other two pups, I really feel 2 is the healthiest number, at least for my household. With more, I feel like the dogs become in tune with each other more, and I'm a part of their pack. I want them to be a part of my pack. They just seemed wilder, and more animal-like in a larger group.
I can understand wanting only one dog, but I feel like a dog needs a little companionship of their own kind. They need to have a member of their family who is the same species as them. Don't get me wrong, I think a dog can be perfectly happy in a one dog home, too.
(09-14-2012, 01:14 AM)Thor Wrote: One dog is better in my personal opinion.
Easier to handle, less bills. When you only have a single dog, the dog is more attached to you. If you have two dogs, there is a chance they are attached to each other more than to you. For most dog owners, they want to be the dog's best friend. You don't want competition from your second dog.
Actually, that's not the case. My neighbour has two Miniature Schnausers - brother and sister from the same litter. They're excellent company for each other, but they also interact much better with other humans than almost any single dogs I've come across.
Dogs are pack animals, and they're not meant to be alone in a household of humans. My neighbour's dogs love it when visitors come, or when they are brought to our house, and it's obvious from their behaviour that they feel part of the family. A solo dog is more likely to attach itself to one person, but these dogs love everybody, although just like humans, they have their favourites and also those they'd rather avoid.
I would have to say that it depends on the space. In the house we live in, we do not have a lot of yard space, so one dog is enough. She also has more energy than I can handle. She has the amount of energy as about 3 crazy dogs put together. I also think that it really depends on the size of the dog as well.
When I was younger, I always wanted 3 dogs. Then, it went down to 2. Now, I never want more than 1 dog. lol. Perhaps if I had more space and not such a crazy dog, I would want more than one.
I would most definitely go for one. I love my dog lots, and I feel that with just one you have the chance at a much closer bond. And, after all, that is what having a dog is all about!
I have one dog and 3 cats...all indoor pets...and a house that is less than 1000 square feet. So one dog is plenty right now. Actually, when she was a puppy, I almost regretted my decision to get her because, unlike my first poodle who was a very quick learner, Gigi took forever to get house trained. I can't even count the number of accidents I had to clean up. Some days I was in tears because of her. It doesn't help that I'm older now and didn't have much energy for a puppy (in retrospect, I should have bought an adult dog). But now those days are behind us, Gigi is perfectly potty trained and done with chewing everything in site. Life it good!
It is interesting to see the different responses. Space is a consideration. It wouldn't be right to have 3 big dogs in an apartment. The temperament of the dog would have to be considered. As Victor mentioned, some breeds don't do well with other dogs--even of the same breed. The cost should be figured in, too. The more dogs you have the bigger the food and veterinary bills. If you can only afford one dog, you shouldn't have two.
I always thought I wanted two dogs. I've been satisfied with one. It fits my lifestyle and my pocketbook. She is attached to me, but she loves her "Grandma", too. Well, she pretty much loves everyone in the family.
Themdno, no offense taken. I have read that two dogs can be buddies since they form a pack. My dog, though she is the only one in the household, has contact with other dogs. Everyone in my family has a dog. I've taken care of my sister's dog many times. I think it is important for a dog to be socialized with other dogs. A puppy needs to be around adult dogs as they learn some of their manners from them.
Sandooch, the memories of puppydom! That may be why I only have one dog at a time. You need a break so you can forget that horrible first year where they aren't potty trained and chew everything up. Oh, and teething! Misha gnawed the edging off her plastic crate during the worst of it. I'm not sure I could do two puppies at the same time. That is for sure!
I think one or two is really plenty for me. I don't think I would want more than 2 at a time, though, and I usually only have a single dog. They take up enough time and energy by themselves.
We tend to have cats as well, though, so maybe I feel that way because I have multiple animals in general and don't want to stretch myself any thinner?
The right number of dogs vary for the person. My two dogs are such high energy and crazy dogs that I know there's no way I could handle another one. Yet, they get along so well together and play with each other all the time, and are inseparable, so I wouldn't have wanted to have only one of them. Both dogs came from a shelter where the previous owners said they were too much and a handful, so I think it takes a person with time, patience, multiple people in the household, and a budget to take care of the dogs. Luckily, we have a whole family in the household working to take care of them, and with everyone's work schedules, there's almost always someone home to take care of them. You can't be lazy with these two, either, so if you just say "no, I don't feel like going for a walk today", then these dogs are definitely not for you.
It depends on both the dogs and the people as to how many are the perfect amount. Of course, the animal hoarders who have 90 dogs in a small house are just plain abusing the animals. If you can't adequately take care of every one of your animals, you have too many animals.
