What is your ideal pack?

Oko

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#41
I think I'll be really happy with just one for a while. I like it, and it's really all I have time for. The thought of 2 Feists...:rofl1:

I could see having 2-3 of my own, especially if I lived with someone that was also into dogs. I think I could see going with a variety of herding breeds as my next dog. Koolies really interest me, I think Feist + koolie could work well, and I wouldn't die from the intensity of border collie x2.
 

BostonBanker

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#42
My pack right now is pretty ideal for me; I could see adding a third dog in another 4 or 5 years, when Meg is really really retired from agility and Gusto is at the stage Meg is out now - super fun to run, fun to train, but doesn't really **need** a ton of training. I wouldn't want two dogs who require the amount of work I do with Gusto at once, and I wouldn't want to cut back on what I do with him to allow another dog.

So ideally, once young dog coming up, one seasoned professional at the top of their game, and one retired to the couch.

Male or female probably doesn't matter; my two are pretty atypical of their genders, so I can't really judge at this point. Smallish/medium sized herding/herding mix dogs. I could see myself doing all rescues forever, or maybe adding in an intentional sport mix or a BC. Gusto has made me fear puppies, but that will eventually wear off perhaps.

If I'm ever in a position where I'm not gone for work all day, I'd also love to add a little cuddle dog - probably a Cavalier.
 

Southpaw

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#43
Ideally I'd probably only have 2 dogs tops. Maybe 3 for the right dog. I'm thinking a boxer and a herder.
 

Tortilla

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#44
I like the seriousness and bitchiness. :rofl1: I think I'll mostly have females from here on out, maybe a male somewhere way down the line. I love Seamus but I really miss Sally's snarkiness and 'snobby' personality. :p
 

Sit Stay

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#45
I think ideally I'd like two herders. One ES, and one ES/BC/or GSD, depending on what comes along at the time.

If I do ever get a third dog, I'm thinking it will likely be smaller and more easy going. Maybe a rescue, or a Whippet or Cav (that way I could also do CKC conformation).

My herders will probably be different sexes, to avoid any issues :) I enjoy both males and females for different reasons!

Hopefully dog #2 won't be far off. An ES, if all goes according to plan!
 

meepitsmeagan

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#46
Ideally I'd probably only have 2 dogs tops. Maybe 3 for the right dog. I'm thinking a boxer and a herder.
It's a great pack. The high bouncy energy lazy no drive of the Boxer paired with the high drive high energy always go go go of the herder makes for a nice balance.

Our ideal pack is 3 dogs. We've done 3 for close to a year now between fostering and having Story every now and again and it is just great. I find we are a well suited home for 2 herders and the Nub. The Nub just kind of brings a sense of humor into the intensity and the OMG DO EVERYTHING AT WARP SPEED SLAM AND BITE AND DO ALL THE THINGS ALL THE TIME of the ACD(x)'s. I like to say that Boxers aren't my breed and that they are a waste of herder space, but in all honesty a lot of the times I just put the herders away and snuggle with her on the couch. She's really an easy dog compared to them and it brings a nice balance. She's high energy enough to keep up with us though.

I think we will eventually be looking at a solid rotation of: 1 rescue Boxer, 1 breeder ACD, 1 breeder bird dog.
 

elegy

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#47
I think eventually I'd like to get down to two dogs, though hopefully that won't happen for a long long time. A Border Collie or mix (the woman who owns Bean's father breeds Border Collie x Beardies sometimes and I am intrigued by them) and a little dog of some type. One male, one female.

With the occasional elderly rescue thrown in for good measure.
 

PWCorgi

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#48
One go-everywhere, do-everything dog. It's so SIMPLE with just one!

The reality though, is that sometimes you end up with dogs who don't really allow you to do what you want with them *ahem*Frodo*ahem* and then you end up with 2 dogs :p

I think my ideal would be one dog, 2 cats, and rats/snakes/various other little critters. However I also adore my terrier, and terrier+cats isn't always a good mix.
 
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#49
Assuming that there was the money for this?

Gambit forever and ever amen. If there was some way to get a Gambit without his fears, I would never have anything else.

I don't think I could be without a lhw again either. One from a good breeder this time, as Shaman is a bit shy despite lots of work. But his cuddliness and quiet nature is perfect.

I do want a bc or a softer koolie, but that's in the future.

And a foster dog, always. I miss doing that
 
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#50
I like having four dogs. I like the even number. Two can go out and do things while the other two stay home.

Breed wise, I'll always have APBTs, preferably one male and one female if that's how many I have. I also would like to keep one small dog and then a random rescue senior (great Dane variety?) I would love to have a Dane again and there is just something about seniors. Thanks to my Kaiser, that's what I'll be after when the time comes.

My current dogs are really close in age with the exception of Em. She will be 9 in Jan. Then Bayleigh will be 3, Pirate 2, and Penny 1. That isn't ideal but that's what I got myself into. :)

But then there are times that I dream of just having one dog. It's nice to dream about. Lol I just know it will never happen! ;)
 

crazedACD

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#52
I think...one or two herders, a hound, and a spaniel. Four is enough. Probably would like two ACDs, a sight or coonhound, and a Field Spaniel. As much as I would enjoy a saluki or (even better) an Azawakh, I don't think I will ever do that. Probably a rescue greyhound, or a rescue coonhound. The ACDs and FS will be from a breeder.

If I (god forbid, and it's never going to happen!) lost any of my dogs tomorrow I would not add another until I was fully settled. When I'm fully settled somewhere on my own, it will depend on who I had at the time which dog would be next.
 

Fran101

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#53
Merlin just chewed one of my favorite shoes.
Right now my ideal pack consists of no dogs.

Maybe a small canary.
 

Shai

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#54
It HAS to be better than being the only two dogs in your height back to back all the time.
I think that's one of those area-specific things. Here every height class, even at the little trials, is at least 20 dogs so you can run 2-3/height and still have 10 dogs between. Running Mira and Kim is no biggie as long as I warm them both up well before the class starts and put their coats on so I can do an abbreviated warmup before each actual run.

Whereas if you have dogs in different height (or difficulty) classes, it makes for REALLY long days. When I was running Mira and Webster (24", 16") They were always at least 7 hour days, not counting drive time, since both classes are usually 30+ dogs and the 20" class is in between with 40+ dogs (for two ring/judge trials, the class sizes are more like 60, 90, 60). When I ran an 8" dog a few times for a friend, they were more like 10 hour days (2 ring/judge trial). Which is just a lot when you're asking your dogs to hang out in a crate for that long every day and only actually run for less than two minutes (plus warmups and such).

But yeah when I lived in a lower trial numbers area, running two dogs in a height class was really hard since the class sizes were only day 2-10 dogs. Fortunately that was pre-Mira so I never had to do it, but I held dogs for other people fairly often as they tried to deal with the problem!

Yeah, I like Didgie's work ethic a ton but god I love knowing Traveler does something just because I asked :rofl1: Girls just seem better overall for sport but there is something about boy dogs that I just love so much. If I was only going to have one dog it would be a boy.

But, I think Traveler's heart would break if I added another male Koolie.
Interestingly, most of the top agility dogs that I can think of are boys. And many, many of the top obedience dogs too. But then they are often intact and don't have to take time off for heat cycles so that helps too.

Proposed solution: send me your other male Koolie. OR send me Traveler. Actually, just go ahead and send me Traveler. :)

Probably some completely random dog will drop into my life at some point and make me love them, too. :p
Sometimes I really wish I had made Webster's registered name "Best Laid Plans" or something like that, haha.

I think eventually I'd like to get down to two dogs, though hopefully that won't happen for a long long time.
^This is very true. I would love to have only two dogs, but I really really want my current dogs to live forever. All three of them.

Illogical, but true :p
 

iriskai

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#56
As far as numbers, Whippets are easy. Two for me is just as easy as one was. As a single person, I think three would be my limit, though spot #3 in this house is currently vacant but reserved. :)

As far as breeds, I'll always have a Whippet. LOVE them. I'd really like a herder at some point, I've looked in to Koolies.. I'll have an Azawakh eventually, though I want to own a home with a fenced yard first.

Genders? In general, I prefer girls, but there are always dogs that don't act according to stereotypes.
 

crazedACD

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#58
^This is very true. I would love to have only two dogs, but I really really want my current dogs to live forever. All three of them.

Illogical, but true :p
As I was replying to this thread I'm thinking well, when Skye is gone...when Romeo is gone... and then I was thinking that over like :eek:. I can't even imagine them gone, they are just weaved so much into my life.

I've been losing the occasional 'family' dog and it's really hard, it hurts of course, but I think losing 'my' dogs that I chose and I raised primarily myself and that I do everything with...I can't handle the thought.
 

Babyblue5290

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#60
I think for us two energetic dogs is perfect. Right now Talon is our energetic young, athletic dog where as Art is a bit more laid back. Art is perfectly happy staying home, not doing much other than cuddling and playing when we want him to. He doesn't go to a ton of events because he get's stressed out and so Talon is our event, go places dog.

I think two young, energetic dogs and one relaxed/older/calmer/house going dog is the perfect amount for us. All we need now is to add a herder! ^_^
 

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