In yesterday’s RV Daily Tips newsletter, our trivia section told you that 67 percent of all U.S. households own at least one pet. That’s a big number! Out of that 67 percent, 53 percent of those households own at least one dog.
If you’re one of those dog owners, how many dogs have you owned in your adult life? We’re not asking about dogs you may have had during your childhood, but how many dogs you’ve owned in your adult life that you‘ve taken care of.
Please tell us in the poll below. And if you haven’t already, send us a photo of your dog here. We feature a pet photo every day (except Sundays).
I don’t own my dog, he adopted me so I guess he owns me
None, I have had 6 cats, have 2 right now. But I do have 4 granddogs that love me.
I am unique I guess. Dog Rescue, we have about 50 most of the time, and some never leave. Specialize in former ‘breeder dogs’, about 3-7 years old in most cases.
God Bless you. I share your passion for rescuing – just not the quantity. My 40′ fiver gets crowded with 5 Greyhounds at one time, ha-ha. A home full of love.
Yes thank you all for rescuing. We feed any strays that come around. Miss our English bulldog very much but have decided on just trying to care for the ones that show up and roam the neighborhood.
Thanks for doing what you do! I volunteer for a dog rescue in Northern California, and people who devote their lives to caring for rescued animals are amazing people.
I got my 1st dog when I was 21. At 23 I was gifted a Rottweiler before hardly anyone knew of them. Thus I began showing and proudly breeding dogs for the next nearly 50 years mostly terriers. The past 20 years I’ve had a rare breed, the Irish Glen of Imaal terrier and 6 Irish Wolfhounds. Now we travel with a Glen and a miniature longhaired Dachshund.
We started during our married life at our first home, with Gretchen, a German Shepard. Then Ashley, a black lab. Then Abbey, a chocolate lab. Then Gracie, a yellow lab. We loved and miss them all. Currently we have two for the first time, Annie a yellow lab and Maddie a black lab. We have raised all from pups.
Labs are the best
Now ask about cats and how many have owned you.
Dogs have Masters, Cats have servants.
You specified “owned”, so I gave a number. My wife and I also rescue and foster retired racing greyhounds. How many dogs have we “cared” for? A couple of dozen. I’ve never met a Greyhound I haven’t fallen in love with. I guess I’m a softie for grace and beauty.
My hubby and I have had 9 dogs since we got together in 1984. He had a dog when we met. My hubby’s name is Mike and his dog’s name was Life, so they were Life with Mikey…We have loved them all, and consider them part of our family. They represent different times in our lives.
I am involved (board member) of a resue and have fostered 50-60 dogs in the last 6 years. I am also a dog owner of 30+ years. Through those years I have owned too many dogs to count. I currenty have 11 dogs living in my house, they are all ours.
We’ve had 4 over the last 34 years. A pure bred golden retriever & 3 “all American”. A rescued golden x samoyed, a shelter pup lab x springer spaniel & shelter pup lab x shepherd x ??. Our current 2 are the first we’ve had at the same time. Retired to rural Montana & got involved in agility & rally competition with the shelter pups.! Love it.
Lost count! DH and I did Basset Hound rescue for a few years. It was a bit noisy with their woo-wooing but so much fun! Took in a pregnant gal once and she presented us with 13 puppies. Gave up fostering when we retired and started camping. Now we travel with a rescued Clumber Spaniel named SunnyJo. A Clumber’s genetics go back to a, guess what! A Basset Hound and an Alpine Spaniel! Yep, he woo-woos!
5. A beagle that went to England and back, a Rottweiler that purchased for wife in Australia and brought him back and added another beagle and a beagle and then a rescue a beagle/terrier cross. Growing up had a beagle. Have a wiring for beagles, Happy go lucky and out going travel well.
We live in the country in an area with 10 acre lots and only a few miles from town. Idiots constantly abandon puppies and dogs near our house. Some we give to friends and family, some to a no-kill animal shelter. One we kept from age 2 months to one year old waiting for it and our granddaughter to grow up a little.
We’ve had 3 dogs of our own and close to a dozen that we passed on.
I said “2-5,” but I, as in me, have owned none. Our current and previous dog were both “owned” by my wife. Eventually I grew to like each, but, had it been left to me, we would have had zero dogs. Too much responsibility.
I had one dog who was smarter than me and greatly loved . He’s been gone for 40 years and I still miss him. I’m a cat person now. started fulltimeing with 4 but time and age have me down to 2 .
One of the biggest injustices in life is that our best friends don’t live as long as we do!
Ain’t it the truth!
Four dogs. All rescues, all loved, all lived happy, long lives. Current dog is just 5 years old and a huge, happy, part of our life.
I have owned up to 6 dogs at a time. I became interested in showing the dogs in obedience, then breed, then agility, rally, coursing, and tricks. I currently have three senior citizen dogs, all of whom have quite a few titles. We RV about half time. The dogs love it. I take some agility equipment along and work with them besides the walks when camping. I am currently looking for a puppy to start training, probably mostly in agility, tricks, and scentwork, maybe some ratting or barnhunt.
At present we have the 9th generation of the same bloodline. This started in 1972 when I saw Dutch on a chain in a backyard, no food or water and in the sun. I went to the door and offered the person who answered $100.00. I told him to either take the money or call police because I was taking the dog since no animal should have to live that way. Dutch was about 1 yrs old and I had him 14 years. In that time and since we have had 3-5 of that bloodline at any given time. Now Zac is 6 yrs old and the ninth generation. We now have Shiloh of a different bloodline who we hope will be mama to the 10th generation. In the interim we have had two rescues. All were dachshunds!! Noisy little critters but full of love and affection.
We are on 11&12 right now. We always have two at a time, it’s like having a pet for your pet. And we let them pick out their own new buddy! They have all been rescues or in some cases I have found them abandoned. I once found seven black lab puppies in a burlap bag in a ditch during a snowstorm and took them all in and found homes for 5 of them and kept 2 for myself. We will always have dogs in the house, but as we get older we might downsize the size of the dogs we have, trying to get away from the 100 or more pounders 🤣
One, found out they were more work than they were worth. Love my cats.
Currently two. First marriage we had, at various times, a beagle and two German Shepards. While single I was blessed with the sweetest miniature schnauzer (black) that you will ever meet. When second hubby and I met, he had a Bichon Frise. Over the years as we lost some, we added more. A Maltipoo, a rescue schnauzer + jack russell + maltipoo mix, a rescue shih tzu mix, a rescue Yorkie, and a rescue Malchi – Maltese+Chihuahua (we think). We have two left currently – the schnauzer mix and the Malchi. Not sure how long we’ll hold out before we find another rescue who needs love. And please don’t ask how many cats we have been blessed with over the years.
2. The first one and the last one. (Only one)
I have not personally owned any dogs; but members of my family, whom I live with, have owned several (though none at the moment).
one less than I need. Miss them all.
I’ve had 3 rescues. My favorite was a coyote/malamute mix. I didn’t really believe the vet’s coyote idea until I saw a PBS special on coyotes, and watched them “play with their food” just the same as Rocky! Currently no dogs, can’t have them where I rent, and life is not complete.
Like to see a picture of that
As Tom B said….I miss them all. I’ve been fortunate to have 9 dogs in my life. Most of the time it was one at a time or some overlap with two. When we moved to Washington state 26+ years ago we came with two great dogs and were immediately adopted by stray/abandoned dog so we had three for quite a while. We are currently blessed with one but she is getting along in age so we know we’ll have to deal yet again with that painful decision at the end of her life. We won’t be without a dog for very long, I’m sure. Problem with dogs (and cats) is that we live a lot longer than they do. I guess I could switch to a desert tortoise or perhaps a parrot that will out live me…….but then again…….nothing beats a good dog in our lives.
I haven’t owned pets. My work has kept me on the road most of the year. But it has been my privilege to have friends and family who has let me spoil their “fur babies”.
As a Red Cross ERV driver pets wouldn’t be workable (a critter would get terribly hungry while we were off to a disaster for 3 weeks or longer). So being a “dog person” I attempt to enjoy all the dogs I meet as I travel.
One, and one too many. I found it a good home with a person where both the dog and the person would benefit. I guess I just don’t want to be owned by an animal.
We had several as the kids were growimg up, mostly in pairs. One giveaway litter pup, the rest rescued from shelters. Our Irish Setter passed away exactly 10 days before my wife, both from cancer. After nearly eleven years of doing without, I adopted Daisy from the local shelter the First of December 2020. Jack Russell Terrier face and paws, and the rest Golden Lab. A bundle of energy, she loves to travel. We have taken two short trips in the RV. She also found the perfect spot in the back of the Jeep Wrangler toad. Looking forward to desert backroad adventures with her.
Probably should not have skewed the poll with my 20+ vote but my late wife and I bred, trained and showed Standard Schnauzers for over 30 years. At one time we had 9 adults living with us in a split level house. When we started full time RVing in 2006, we had 4 adult Standard traveling with us in a 40′ Dutch Star. Now that my wife has passed and I’m not traveling much, I’m down to one.