View Full Version : How many pets are there in your home?
The thread about dog food temperature caused me to google it. I read through similar threads on a couple of random pet message boards and something struck me. Since a lot of people list their animals in their signatures on those pet boards it was easy to see how many animals they owned. I was surprised at the number of people with 5, 6, even more animals. I suppose that makes sense since pet message boards would likely attract the most enthusiastic of pet owners.
We have two cats and before they came into our lives I had one other cat who passed away before we got the current two. If our lives changed so that one of us was home most days I'd consider adding a dog to our household, but not more than one. And no other cats until both these guys are dead and baked. At one point my sister had 2 large dogs and 3 cats and when I went to visit it was just too much. I have no desire to have that many animals living with me. So I'm curious. What's the most pets everyone has had at any one time?
Simplemind
1-27-13, 10:29pm
When we blended families there were two dogs and a cat. We are down to one dog and wil stay there.
We are down to:
- Portuguese Water Dog
- a Cat, black and white, breed uncertain
- ~ a dozen chickens
- Black and Tan Coon Hound
- Guinea Pig, Golden Agouti
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vf6FLtUnG3s/UN_K4if-MkI/AAAAAAAAHCg/9PY82E1LE9o/s576/Awesomized.jpg
fidgiegirl
1-27-13, 11:31pm
We have two dogs.
I thought two wouldn't be much more work than one. HA! I just got done spending half an hour bathing the snow balls out of the more recent arrival's fur and then scrubbing out his poopy kennel. *Sigh* Good thing he's DAMN cute.
I have one spoiled rotten little dog. I would love to have more but there is no way DH would allow it.
iris lily
1-27-13, 11:54pm
Two years ago we took in 6 French bulldogs and that group, plus our own Frenchie plus 3 cats made 10. It was some months before we placed 4 of the Frenchies. We kept 2 of that group of 6.
Now we have 3 dogs and 3 cats for a total of 6 permanent pets. We also work with Bulldog Rescue and so have about 6 dogs through our house per year. Our present foster dogs has been here for 2+ months.
2 or 3 little dogs wouldn't be a bother if they all got along, but since two of the Frencheis want to kill each other (and I'm convinced that they would kill each other) we live with baby gates. Each time I walk through a threshold, I open a gate and then close it. Plus, one of the lately adopted Frenchies bites us. When the biter goes to doggie heaven it will be a relief.
Zero cause I'm so allergic to cats and dogs. But I like the little creatures ...
iris lily
1-28-13, 12:20am
Two years ago we took in 6 French bulldogs and that group, plus our own Frenchie plus 3 cats made 10. It was some months before we placed 4 of the Frenchies. We kept 2 of that group of 6.
Now we have 3 dogs and 3 cats for a total of 6 permanent pets. We also work with Bulldog Rescue and so have about 6 dogs through our house per year. Our present foster dogs has been here for 2+ months.
2 or 3 little dogs wouldn't be a bother if they all got along, but since two of the Frencheis want to kill each other (and I'm convinced that they would kill each other) we live with baby gates. Each time I walk through a threshold, I open a gate and then close it. Plus, one of the lately adopted Frenchies bites us. When the biter goes to doggie heaven it will be a relief.
The pet hair around here is atrocious.
edited: wait, I thought the question was what was the highest number of pets we'd had.
Right now we are at our highest number of pets ever. We have had two Pionus parrots since 1989, and added dogs starting in 1995. Currently we have an 8 year old Newfie, a 5 year old German Shepherd, and a 3 year old Golden Retriever. We also have some chickens, but I don't think of them as pets.
Zero cause I'm so allergic to cats and dogs. But I like the little creatures ...
If I were in the market for a new SO I think that would probably be a deal breaker. Having lived with cats in my/our home now for almost 15 years straight I can't really imagine living without again. During the month after my last cat died before we met our current boys our place just seemed lifeless and depressingly quiet.
Wildflower
1-28-13, 1:23am
We had a total of ten dogs and cats about 15 years ago. All rescues. Now we are down to six total, 3 little dogs, 3 very elderly cats. The cats won't last much longer.... We're not adding anymore after they're gone, although I think we will always have at least one small dog. I think our house would be very empty without a dog. But downsizing in pets is a very good idea at our age, plus our circumstances have changed so much in the past couple years, both physically and financially.
we have zero pets. we just wouldn't be able to properly care for them right now (imo). maybe in the future. :)
We have three cats. Two middle aged and one young one. We do keep in mind that they have 15-20 year lifespans and have made provision for them in our wills. Whoever ends up with our pets gets at least 10% of our estate which is a pretty penny.
Currently we have two small dogs. Years ago we jaded out with one of each typical pet animal type except reptile - dog, cat, parakeets hamster and an aquarium full of fish.
We're currently at our highest count ever, with two dogs. A three year old husky/? mix which, along with her sister, my daughter found abandonded as a puppy. The other is a 2 year old min pin which my wife rescued from the center lane of a busy 5 lane road.
They have real names, but I always call them Moose & Squirrel.
http://www.lefttoright.net/images/Moose&Squirrel.jpg
None -- yet. DW and I have long been talking about a dog; we're still researching which breed would be best for us and our living situation. Then it's off to the pound or the rescue to see how close we can come.
We're also the primary/default destination for my mom's dog in case she can no longer take care of the dog. So there's already a couple of dog bowls, some treats, and a fenced yard for whomever/whenever.
We have two dogs, one cat, one Senegal parrot, and two cockatiels. The second one arrived this weekend. We stopped by Feathered Friends to get some cockatiel, and the owner offered the cockatiel to my son, (who owns the other cockatiel in the family). It is somewhat lame and perches with its legs off to either side. The owner said most shops would have put it down, but she couldn't do that and said it was hand-raised and eats well, etc.
Edited to add -- animals always cost more than they seem they should. We budget $50 a month for that menagerie, but it never quite seems to be enough for the vet bills and food.
We currently have 3 dogs (2 Australian Shepherds, 1 Australian Cattle Dog), 3 cats, and 5 goldfish. The most we've every had is 2 dogs, 4 cats, 10 goldfish or 3 dogs, 3 cats, 10 goldfish.
Although I love dogs, 3 herding dogs makes for a lot of work and, as a group, they can be exhausting. I can't imagine ever having fewer than 2 dogs at a time, though. I could easily have a half-dozen cats, but my beloved will likely draw the line at 4 and we certainly won't be adding any until our current 2, who are both nearly 17 years old, have gone to the great beyond. This tank of goldfish will likely be the last of the great fish keeping experiment, which has lasted 20+ years (not with the same fish!).
One dog that needs at least 2 miles of exercise every day so he is my gym membership.
I've had cats all my life aside from college years. And now I've turned DH and DD into cat people, too. We do love them, and they are part of our family. Right now we have 3 cats and this works for us - any more would be too many to take care of, especially in our indoor house (they are indoors only). We also have a 10 gallon aquarium with 4 tropical fish.
I like dogs but I like other people's dogs better than having my own. Ideally I'd have a next-door neighbor with a nice dog that needed more walking, that I could take on my walks!
1 boxer/mastiff boy..he just turned one and is 112 lbs. : )
1 rescued cat..breed unknown...but attitude very appararent. :)
1 stray cat that wouldn't go away so I got her fixed, she loves the heating pad in her cardboard box on the back porch. Strictly an outside cat that doesn't like to be touched.
1 dumped on the farm mutt dog that looks like a cross between Benji and an Ewok from StarWars.
7 chickens (I do consider them pets as well as production girls).
In the past we've always had a dog of some sort - black labs and golden retrievers.
We've had guinea pigs.
We've had a variety of lizards.
fidgiegirl
1-28-13, 10:49am
We have three cats. Two middle aged and one young one. We do keep in mind that they have 15-20 year lifespans and have made provision for them in our wills. Whoever ends up with our pets gets at least 10% of our estate which is a pretty penny.
That is awesome. It is not a small thing to take that on so it's nice of you to recognize it.
fidgiegirl
1-28-13, 10:52am
None -- yet. DW and I have long been talking about a dog; we're still researching which breed would be best for us and our living situation. Then it's off to the pound or the rescue to see how close we can come.
We're also the primary/default destination for my mom's dog in case she can no longer take care of the dog. So there's already a couple of dog bowls, some treats, and a fenced yard for whomever/whenever.
Let me know whenever you get to the point of ready to adopt . . . in the process of getting Gus I did a lot of research on area groups and some were easier than others and they all have their things. None that I outright wouldn't recommend based on my personal experience, though I think there are some scam groups in our area operating on Petfinder (several groups with the same contact information? Hmmmm), but you know. Different procedures at all of them.
Blackdog Lin
1-28-13, 11:31am
One 12-year old schipperke/mutt mix, a stray we adopted 11 years ago, with allergies and the meds to go with them, the too-occasional crusty skin thing, sheds by the handful 11 months of the year, eternally under my feet as she's a momma's girl...
.....and the most adorable head-tilt, and she listens wonderfully to anything I may want to talk to her about, and she's the one member of the household that makes sure to let me ALWAYS know she's happy to have me walk in the door.
We love her.
jennipurrr
1-28-13, 11:41am
Three dogs (lab mix, chihuahua, lab) and two cats. I love them very much but I am hoping the family gets smaller through attrition...both the lab mix and chihuahua are getting on up there in age (13 and 11), so I will be sad when they pass away but glad to be moving to less pets. Since we are sort of thinking about a new house, every decision has to be made with the dogs in mind. This won't change too much when we are down to one lab (she is 4 so she has a lot of years in her), since she is a big girl who requires plenty of space and excersise, but it will make things more flexible.
treehugger
1-28-13, 12:22pm
The most I have ever had at one time was 4: 2 cats and 2 greyhounds. But one cat died last September (I still miss him! *sniff*) and now we are down to 3 total. No more cats for us (this one is almost 19). When we are catless, we will be able to foster greyhounds again.
I am pretty sure (as sure as one can be about things like this) that we will always have 2 greyhounds. That's the perfect number for us (although, lots of people we know have more, and it goes very well). So, we will settle at 2 pets and cycle fosters in and out.
Kara
Three rescued dogs: Ike/pug (11), Eddie/white shepherd (13), and Gordon/french bulldog (0.5). No cats at present, and if I had my choice we wouldn't have them again (I sleep badly enough as it is without having nocturnal animals in the house!) but time will tell. I like cats too, if they are friendly and snuggly.
The most we've ever had is 2 dogs and 2 cats, which seemed like a lot at the time, as both cats were sick and also had crummy attitudes (which I don't personally find endearing).
I'm a serial monogamous dog owner. Couldn't do two. No interest in cats or birds or fish. One energetic scruffy ragamuffin lab/border colie/terrier mix is like having three dogs in one!
Let me know whenever you get to the point of ready to adopt
Thanks, Kelli! It'll be good to have a pilot on board the ship when we're ready to do this. :)
Gardenarian
1-28-13, 4:30pm
2 Italian greyhounds - we only meant to adopt 1 but there was this one old guy who'd been in foster care foreve - a cancer survivor...so we came home with 2 dogs. I am also a monogomaus dog owner - one of the dogs is my daughter's.
10 years ago I had 6 - 3 dogs (2 labs and a border collie) and 3 cats - all rescues and/or strays. Then I inherieted 2 more dogs (terrier mix and Lsasa Apso) couple of years ago. But am now down to just one dog (Terrier mix who's 4) since the other's have passed over the last couple of years. I don't plan on getting any more pets at this time - probably not ever after this last dog passes in 10ish years. Want to be unencumbered and have a bit of freedom after that.
I have two. One cat and one dog. Not sure we do any other pets once these two are gone. Too many cons to pet ownership. Not sure if balances out.
Zero. Not really a pet person. Maybe being a single mother for many years just burned me out on having 24/7 responsibility for another being.
But I do have a table-top round aquarium with fake fish and fake wiggly plants that I'm having fun with as a crafts/art type piece!
:D Seriously,4 cats only 1 is really "mine" the other 3 belong to the homeowner.
I had to put my much loved black-lab to sleep in 2010 and I swore I would never
give my heart & soul to another pet.
Fast forward 2 years and along comes Bella,a tuxie,not quite 1,her owner who res-
cued her from a cardboard box along the road,was moving & couldn't have pets so
home with me she came.
I call her my diva,she sits on my keyboard when I'm using the laptop,she yells for
treats and she hates my alarm AKA,cellphone and will send it flying off the table
if I don't respond in a timely manner.
But she lights up my life,shes waiting for me when I come home after a long day
and i wouldn't trade her and her mischief for all the tea in China!
can't have a dog where I live now,but maybe someday:)
Now I have my horse, who obviously doesn't live in the house (he's boarded in the next town), and my betta fish Finn. He sometimes seems to be more work than my late dog Gemma, since his tank isn't filtered and I do water changes 3 times a week.
I do miss having a dog and would love to have one again but can't until i leave home. I had a cat for about 18 years and she was great but I'd choose a dog first. But would take a cat too.
I thought of getting a guinea pig but they seem to be like a tiny indoor horse---all they do is eat hay and poop and need cleaning up after. But darn cute.
I enjoy answering this question because I like the crazy looks I get from people.
We have two dogs inside, one spoiled rotten bad little Westie and one very big, spoiled rotten Komondor. The Komondor was supposed to be a livestock guardian dog but mostly spends her days now snoozing by my fireplace.
Two barn cats Stan and Stella, siblings who bicker constantly. Stella usually prevails.
We also currently have 12 chickens, egg producing hens who we look more at as employees.
Two Gloucestershire old Spot sows, Minnie and Lucy, one is about to pop so by the time I'm done writing this there could be 12 more mouths to feed.
Three Nubian dairy goats, Daffy, Lilly and Butter. Two of them are due in April.
One new Dexter heifer named Hattie, with a real attitude....we're working on that.
And a partridge in a pear tree....no wait.....just kidding about that one.
So some are pets, some are livestock.....almost all are named. :)
None here. I don't like responsibility. I feel the same way about kids and pets - when I was younger I had enough pets and had to deal with enough of other people's pets and had enough younger siblings and had to deal with other people's kids that I've filled my pet and kid quota for life.
Guardian to 4 dogs, (mixed breeds, one is 1/2 coyote), 1 African Grey parrot. (Parrot from Feathered Friends).
I really like SteveinMN's learning about dog breeds. As a trainer/TTouch Practitioner I think all the dogs I've worked with one of the biggest, if not the biggest problem was people taking in dogs whose breed characteristics didn't fit the people's wants.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.