One dog households - does anyone prefer this?

I've been house sitting for a friend and have just brought Abby along for the stay. (Usually we live with my parents' dog Grace.)

It's been wonderful! I love the freedom of doing whatever I want with one dog without having to think about the logistics of it all (which probably makes me very lazy lol) Abby has some resource guarding issues, so there are times that I have to separate the dogs.

I also love devoting all my time to one dog. Not that I resent having to look after two (Grace is so much more loving to be honest), but Abby and I have done so much more fun stuff together in the space of a couple of days.

I was saying in Paige's adding another dog thread that I traditionally like more than one dog - because I love having dogs and also to provide some company for the dogs when I'm not around. Grace is not getting younger and although I hope she has quite a few more years to go, I often wonder how Abby will cope being on her own.

She warms to other dogs, but there are some issues and extra careful planning to be done if I were to consider adding another dog and I'm not sure if I really want to. I guess I'd have to wait and see to see how she will cope being an only dog, but my gut is telling me that she'd be just fine. She'd go spare in a multi dog household I think, but having one companion she gets along with is fine.

Does anyone prefer a one dog household?
Have you ever had only one dog before based on the needs of a particular dog?
What did you miss about having multiple dogs?

I love to dabble in training with Abby although we don't compete. In the future, my dream is to have a dog to dabble in some competition, but as far as companionship and the fun we have, Abby is all I really need.

When I had a one dog household, it didn't feel right. It felt empty, quiet, and far too calm and controlled. My most comfortable number is 3-4. Perhaps I am a tad insane.

Lol, not insane! With the right dogs I would be fine with three I think, going by my experiences with looking after my grandmother's dog. It didn't phase me. I haven't personally tried four!

I'm a one dog household and I do like a lot of the perks to it. I only have to walk, train and feed one dog. I never have to worry about anything because my dog is awesome and rarely puts a toe out of line. He's smart, he's fun and most of all he just fits really well.

It comes with a lot of positives but if I wasn't pregnant right now I would have added a second around the time this baby is due. Ah well!

I agree, there are a lot of perks to having one dog. I had just Chloe for about a year, and very much enjoyed it. It's a lot easier (IMO) BUT I live with my parents, one dog is mine, one is my parents, I dont have a whole lot of say in training Violet, and I think it would be easier/more enjoyable if both dogs were mine, trained the way I want them trained, and the breed of dog(s) that I prefer. I lovelovelove Violet, don't get me wrong, but she isn't my ideal breed or ideally trained to what I would prefer. It causes some tension, and is definitely hard at times having more than one dog when you don't really have a say in BOTH of the dogs.

YES. I much prefer one dog. I have had numerous fosters, watched my in-laws dog many times (there could not be an easier dog than he was), dog-sat for friends...and I am ALWAYS relieved when they go home!

The logistics of one dog are just so much easier. Walks, feeding, training. I can take all the agility classes I want, without feeling the guilt of leaving a dog behind, or having to take half the classes with Lucy. I can always bring her with me when I go to visit family, because none of them have qualms with a small dog visiting. Two though, and I'd feel like I was seriously imposing and they'd never come.

The cost of vacation boarding would become prohibitive. It's already $40/day to find a dog sitter here for 1 dog. If I had to pay $80/day, I think we'd be shortening our vacations.

My dog enjoys other dogs, but she's so much happier when all the attention is hers. She hates sharing laps, belly rubs, and the bed at night. Our house is just happier all around when she's an only dog.

I'm glad to hear that some of you do like it or prefer it. It is a tad difficult when the second dog isn't yours, I'll admit, Dixie'sMom.

CaliTerp - Yes, the whole no guilt thing is great and because my walks, training sessions etc with Abby require a lot of my concentration, it's can be hard to have another dog come along. I spend a lot of time doing stuff separately with dogs, although I'd rather be doing most of them together. With the right dogs it wouldn't be an issue, but Abby is a bit different.

I am really starting to think that Abby would adjust fine to being an only dog. She's certainly taken to it this weekend like a duck to water.

The more I think about it, the more appeal it has to be honest.

I think this is me.

Jackson is my only dog and about three nights a week, while I'm in school, we live at my dads house with his two dogs. It gets very annoying quickly, because their dogs aren't trained/fed/exercised/socialized the way that I would to my own dog. So it ends up becoming a hassle as Jackson is a copycat and often follows their lead in excessive barking, and all the other nonsense and then I can't wait to be back home for from Friday-Tuesday morning with just him and I.

I also am always really glad to bring a dog back after dogsitting for a long-ish period of time (days or weeks) and it's like "whew!" when we get rid of them and back to my one-dog household. However, again, these have all been dogs that I wouldn't choose for myself (breed-wise, and personality-wise) and also not trained the way I would, so I THINK if and when I add a second dog, and it's MY choice of dog and MY training, etc, etc, it will be a different story.

So anyways while I go through my "I REALLY want another dog phase... " then I begin to appreciate how amazing my dog is and how (fairly) easy he is, and just... one dog in general is easier because I bring him almost everywhere that he can go, etc, and one is definitely easier than two in that aspect.

But I also know I won't be waiting until Jackson is no longer here to get another dog, so at one point, I will add a second. It's just a matter of me being financially ready and more stable.

I've never had a one dog household, but we have had just one dog here and there for a night (usually when we're going on a trip - we'll drop the Dobes off the night before and Dance is still home) and it feels weird. Really nice actually in a lot of ways, but weird nonetheless. One dog is so ridiculously easy. But multiple dogs is what I'm used to and as much as I enjoy my occassional nights with just one, I enjoy getting back to multiples.

I think it depends on the dog(s).

I feel like I only have one dog. Lucy is so low maintenance that she hardly requires much thought. Food, potty breaks, and a couch to sleep on are the only things she needs. She doesn't want to go out and about, she doesn't want to run around and exercise, so I don't feel bad leaving her behind while I take Juno out to do those things. If anything, I only feel bad because I WISH she was more keen to participate in those things with us.

In theory I think I prefer a multiple dog household because when I do happen to get both dogs out and actually enjoying themselves, it seems way more fun than when it's just me and Juno. But their energy levels balance each other out, and they get along and co-exist together wonderfully so there is no added stress there. If they were at each others throats all the time or if they were both bouncing off the walls with energy, then yes I would probably prefer to just have one dog lol.

I have always been a one dog kind of person.. I dunno, I guess it just suits me I go home to my family multi dog household and I just think it's too hectic with 3! and these are two little ones and one big one.

I like the relationship. You don't really have to share time, energy, funds, attention etc..
I like the freedom of it. Finding someone to dog sit, being able to travel with one, rent with one, walk one, etc.. its just SO MUCH EASIER!!

Especially renting. Oh god, finding a dog friendly apartment is hard enough. Finding a place that will allow TWO is just about insanity.

I live in a city, so only dogs get plenty of dog play time at parks and such so I don't feel like they are missing out that way. They have dog friends we see everyday

I love that I can go to a cafe and comfortably have my dog sit under the table.
I like that it's so easy to focus on just one and play with one when we are at the park..
There are also things that I splurge on for just one that I would NOT feel comfortable doing with multiples. I could really not handle having two dogs on raw!

Usually, on the weekend, I spent the whole day out and about with my dog. And with one, waiting outside while I run in a store, or sitting under a table while I eat, or sitting on my lap as we ride the metro isn't that big of a deal.
with two.. that would be a problem. I would have to think about shorter walks split evenly, or going back to pick one up to do different errands.. and ugh, I just wouldn't want to deal with it lol

I don't want dogs together, even when I'm home. I like walks to be personal time (plus it's way hard to run with two).. so that would also be an issue. splitting up walks.

There are some downsides of course. When I'm at work or school , my dog is alone and I do worry that he is lonely all by himself. Even if dogs just sleep when you are gone, it must be comforting at least to have each other around. and if i wasn't in a city with such frequent dog park access, I would worry about my dog missing out on being with other dogs.

If I had the space (like lived in an actual house with a big yard) I would consider it more.. because I guess in that sense, them getting out isn't so directly related to walks and you walking them.
and if I was in a relationship where that other dog was cared for by another person, then I would be totally fine with multiples!

but usually.. I'm better suited for one

I can't stand just having one, I will never do that again. I also have a dog though that is NOT a good only dog. With all the stress that Mia brought, Summer was pretty much immediately happier once I brought Mia home.

2 is pretty ideal for me. Of course I'll be doing the more than two thing for a while, but eventually I want to get back to 2 dogs.

I think it depends a lot on the dog(s). Growing up, we had an energetic lab mix that was a lot to handle. FUN dog, don't get me wrong, but it became a chore to get her exercised enough and all that. Having another dog at the same time as her would've probably been too much for us to handle.

I had Luna for several years as an only dog. Luna is VERY easy to live with - she sleeps a lot, doesn't need a lot of exercise, is mostly well behaved, etc. - and in a way it gets boring, LOL. EASY, yes, but boring. So I got another dog.

Keegan would be fine as an only dog. He LOVES other dogs, but would be fine with only humans too (though he'd sure be sad living without his cats, LOL). He's definately NOT boring, and sometimes it gets overwhelming having to deal with him PLUS another dog. I do feel guilty a lot for paying less attention to Luna, I have to make a point to give her attention because she's not going to just beg for it, but she does need it.

I have never had more then one dog living with me full time, but I do enjoy having multiple dogs when I housesit or go to friends houses. Its just fun. There are lots of perks to just having 1 dog though! You only have 1 dog to train, feed, exercise, etc. Its easier to focus on just one dog at the park and on walks. Just 1 dog to train, so more time, focus, and less money. Cheaper. IDK. I would prefer more then 1 dog in the future, but for now I enjoy the 1 dog perks. One thing though, it has been Very lonely since my one dog died. I would have prefered to have another dog at home to cry into and not be so lonely.

As others said, it really depends on the dogs for me.

When we had Tippy and Matrix, I really enjoyed having Matrix to do the fun stuff with, and Tippy to do the snuggling and cuddling with. Once Tippy passed and we got Mitch, I desperately wished it were just Mitch and I. We just had such an incredible bond, and Matrix really struggled with me not being his #1.
Now we're back to a one dog household for the first time in 9 years, and I hate it. Matrix is older and having a lot of hip problems, and I really miss not having a dog to do all the fun hikes and park trips.

I think once I move out, I'll be a single dog home and add a puppy/young dog when my current dog becomes to old/arthritic to go to the park and things.

I love just having one dog

I really enjoy all the 1 on 1 time I get with Yoshi when I'm not working. She loves to cuddle and just get attention and when my brother's dog was here she was kind of miserable.

Also I find it a lot easier to go on vacations *I always take her* with just her. She's a great road trip partner and it is pretty easy to convince people and places to let me bring her.

I know multiple dog homes work for some but for me the 1 on 1 time with my heart dog means way more to me than having more time with multiple cute dogs.

Whenever I pet sit at a multiple-dog household, I'm always happy to get home to my ONE dog

In some ways it is easier to have one dog. It's easier to travel with one, it's easier to make sure that one dog gets all the attention and stimulation it needs, etc. But I love having a multiple dog household, and I loved when I had 4. My current ideal and maximum is two dogs, but in the future I can see myself having 3-5, depending on the dogs. In Millie's lifetime I am definitely not adding another. Fable is already overwhelming to her.
I don't know if this is morbid or not, but I appreciate being able to have a "transition dog." I don't even want to think about losing Millie, but for me it's easier after losing a dog to still have another, instead of a completely empty house. When I lost Lucy I would have gone mad had I not had Millie. Of course that's not how I pictured it. . .Lucy was much younger than Millie and I thought she was going to be my "transition dog."

I've pretty much always had more than one dog. When I had just two, it was sad and unnatural, lol.

I hated having just one. I am still getting use to dividing my training/attention between 2 dogs, but we are getting there. I was focusing too much on "well I just trained(walked, petted, ect) Lacey for 30 mins, I need to train(walk, pet, ect) Nora for 30 mins."