Multi-Dog Households: When Many Becomes TOO Many

Living in a multi-dog household is a balancing act. People often wonder if they are doing their dogs justice, and at what point have they reached too many dogs?

I’m going to be completely honest and say I have a lot of dogs. I’m not going to disclose how many, but it’s common for people to walk in my house and start trying to count how many fuzzy four-legged creatures are running around. It’s almost immediately followed by, “Oh my gosh. You have so many dogs!” or for those who aren’t fond of all the puppy kisses, it’s the infamous “You have way too many dogs” comment. However, my many aren’t too many. After reading this article, you’ll understand why.

On the other hand, I’ve walked into a house with just 2-3 dogs and it’s very clear even that is just too much for their owner to handle. However, these owners typically don’t seem to realize it.

So… why is it that 10 dogs can live together happily without any doubt there are too many dogs in the home, and 3 can push an owner overboard? How do you know when many has become too many?

I always like to start with basic care. Do you have the time, money, and energy to provide food, water, shelter, and veterinary care to all the dogs in the home? Every single dog in the household should have a proper body condition score, they should be fed a quality diet, they should appear active and healthy for their breed, and they should be up to date on shots and vaccines. If an owner needs to start skimping on food costs by feeding their dogs a poor quality kibble just so everyone gets fed, then many has started to become too many. If an owner starts skipping yearly wellness exams and vaccines because it’s too costly to provide it to every dog, then many is clearly too many. While I’m all for dog owners saving money by administering vaccines themselves if they have the knowledge and skill set to do so, all dogs should still have a wellness exam each year.

All dogs should also have a space to call their own. Every dog should have an adequately sized crate or ex-pen that belongs to them and only them. This helps minimize conflict in a multi-dog household, and it gives dogs a safe place to retreat to when needed. It’s also recommended all meals are fed in dogs’ individual crates. If there are so many dogs in a house that dogs have to live outside, be moved into the garage, or share crates/safe spaces due to lack of physical space in the house, then many has become too many.

I understand dogs get messy. However, all dogs deserve to live life with a clean, well-maintained coat free from any tangles, mats, dirt, and impacted undercoat. Nails should also be well-kept so they don’t touch the floor. Even with my busy schedule and a house full of pets, every single dog gets brushed out regularly, their paws, ears, and sanitary are kept neatly trimmed, and their nails are ground down to tiny little nubs at least once a week (some dogs get their nails done every few days). They also get their teeth brushed regularly. It breaks my heart walking into homes where dogs are dirty, matted, their toes splay outward in funny directions due to severely overgrown nails, and their teeth are full of tartar from lack of care. If an owner can’t provide basic upkeep for their dogs, then many has become too many.

All dogs should be given the proper amount of exercise and mental stimulation. Dogs who aren’t exercised regularly and given something for their brains to do often suffer from anxiety, hyperactivity, and depression. This can cause numerous issues for the individual dog, issues for other dogs in the household, and issues for the dog’s owner. Dogs who are given the proper amount of exercise and mental stimulation are happier, more relaxed, and in turn, better behaved. If an owner finds themselves unable to adequately exercise their dogs’ minds and bodies on a daily basis, then many has become too many.

On that note, all dogs should have received (and continue to receive) basic obedience and house training. Every dog should know commands like sit, down, stay, come, leave it, and how to walk on a leash. Training is a great way to bond with your dog, and it helps them live a happy life with their human families. Dogs should also be potty trained so they know how to keep their living area clean and smell-free. If an owner gets to the point where there are so many dogs in the house they can’t provide basic training for all of them, many has become too many.
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Finally, each and every dog deserves individual love and attention daily. For my crew of pups, this is at least 30 minutes of alone time with me (usually spent walking, training, playing fetch in the backyard, going for an adventure, etc). If a household has so many dogs that they never get a decent amount of one-on-one time with their people and are instead expected to constantly share you with a house full of dogs all eager for love and attention, then many has most certainly become too many.