More dogs isn't always better

Being a good dog owner includes knowing when *not* to get a dog.

Today I saw some absolutely beautiful puppies, little border terriers that are local, come from a great breeder and whose parents do agility classes with me. The offer was there to have one of them, and they were totally perfect. I said no.

Why? Because it wouldn’t be fair.

As a kid, I dreamt of having a house full of dogs. Dogs of all breeds. I thought that as soon as I had my own house, my own van, my own money and no longer had my parents telling me I couldn’t, that dream would be a reality.

I have all that now, and yet I still said no. I would love more than anything to have one of those gorgeous little puppies, but my three dogs deserve to be a priority. Willow, at eighteen months, is still a baby herself. Tulip, at five, is just starting to settle down and enjoy her life to the full. Bramble, at twelve, is still fit and active, but she doesn’t need another puppy to look after.

Dividing my time between these three is enough. A puppy is an enormous responsibility and it took a huge amount of planning and work to raise Willow. She did four puppy classes a week, swimming lessons fortnightly, she did visits to cafes, farms, shops, high streets… she was years in the making, and she’s not even fully baked yet.

And I have to be realistic. Three is manageable. They get on well, are easy dogs and life is smooth right now. What if the puppy was reactive like Tulip, and I had to separate them? What if I became ill and somebody else had to look after them? What if finances become an issue, could I afford another pup? What if I wanted a holiday, are there people I can trust who will take all four dogs? These things and more need to be considered before even thinking about getting a new pup.

It can be hard, this isn’t the first puppy I could’ve had, other students and friends have offered me equally beautiful, exciting pups. I know that young-me would be screaming at present-me for not taking all the puppies. But that’s growth.

Having unfortunately once known a family who bought puppies on an impulse and rehomed them once they weren’t cute and small anymore, over and over (a sickening amount of times), without once thinking of the consequences or impact it had on these dogs, I just couldn’t do that. Dogs mean more to me than that. These three deserve my full attention, and the adorable little puppies I saw today deserve their future owners’ full attention.

I could get another puppy now, but I’ve learnt that being a dog lover isn’t about having all the dogs, it’s about giving all your love to the dogs you own.