Great stories so far!! Glad I started this thread now

Well i never saw myself with a dog at all, despite hubby being desperate for a dog for years, but i spend so much time outdoors with kids and football and love walking in the woods and stuff, so decided almost 8 weeks ago that i had changed my mind and we have a beautiful ESS puppy, that is great fun to have around and pretty much what i expected having a dog to be like, (about the same for persistance as my kids!), but he has added another dimension to our lives and as my kids are almost 12 and 8 they are becoming more independent, so it is nice for us to have something small again!

Hard work cos we childmind, but we are getting there in sorting out our double lives! We spend a lot more time outside and have to train the parents to this, especially in the colder weather, but we love it and in the main so do the littlies we look after.

I would now consider another dog sometime down the line, especially if a needy springer happened to pop along, but it would have to be for the right dog, which i am not sure whether this would be another puppy (cos we would have to actively look), or a rescue where we could be ultra sure of the likely temperament if we are still childminding.

If we are not still childminding and had the money I could now see me walking the countryside with 3 or 4 springers in tow, and probably the next ones could be rescues, cos the issue of small children in our home wouldnt then be there. (i am dreaming of a lottery win and a house in the country with my drizabone and thermals!)!!

(blimey this puppy has crept into my heart really quickly!)

I didn't seriously see myself having a dog - I was slightly scared of them since being bitten as a child and had grown up with cats. I used to say - 'maybe when I am old and have kids or something'. On the other hand OH has ALWAYS wanted a dog but as a singleton full time commuting worker itwasn't happening.

It was really our friends' collies that persuaded us, they are lovely dogs and behave quite well. We discussed long and hard about deciding to get a dog and whether we could cope (both work) but it has been fine and no regrets for one minute. Although the more I read on here I think we have been lucky with our girl who seems to have a nice gentle character and responds fine to training (have the breeder to thank too for suggesting her of the available pups). We would like to get a second dog, we think this would be nice for her, hopefully from same breeder as we have been pleased with the support she has given us. Akira has cured my fear of dogs almost entirely!

I had always planned to have at least one dog when I moved out. When that eventually happened my ex and I decided that we would choose a breed each, therefore we knew we would end up a 2 dog household. I'm not sure where a third one came in though (my idea I think!)

I've been back with my parents for 2 years and cant see me moving out any time soon (no money to set up my own home and renting with dogs is difficult) so I wont be adding. If any of my dogs depart this earth whilst i'm still with the parents then I wont be allowed to make the numbers back up.

I'm never going to have children so that wont change any of my plans with the dogs.

I was bitten badly by a dog at age 7 so really didn't like them at all. I had 32 stitches in my face
I met Graham and he had Bessie and I fell in love with her as she was so timid and scared. Then she had Otis and I thought that would be it!!
Then we were asked if we could take Jenny and they brought Danny out with her so ended up with 4!! Then we got Holly who we were supposed to foster but kept her as she was so gorgeous. Unfortunately we lost Holly so got another greyhound, Guinness!! Now I'm totally dog obsessed and cannot imagine life without them...all 5 of them!!!!!!!!!!

I`d always wanted a GSD so as soon as I was pregnant with No 1 Son, I got a rehome from the local paper. The others sort of arrived.

I always wanted dogs (but wasn't allowed one as a child) and so walked every dog I could in the small town where I grew up. I dreamed of owning my own dog (and that dream dog was usually a GSD, or sometimes a rough collie when I had been watching Lassie ). It became an obsession, which has never gone away. As soon as I had moved out of home and felt I could offer a dog a good home, I put my name on the list at the police dog school for a reject police dog (GSD).

I now have four dogs of my own and the passion/obsession remains I never imagined I would be lucky enough to have the time and space for four, but then I never imagined I would end up married to a hill shepherd and live in a beautiful, remote part of Scotland either! Having a child (I have a 2 year old son) hasn't really changed anything with the dogs - in fact, Yogi (GSD) came home when Ben (my son) was just 6 months old and so they are growing up together

I don't know what the future holds, but imagine I will probably go back to having just two GSDs (as that is my preferred number really for all sorts of reasons) but will always be able to get my collie fix from hubby's working dogs. He currently has nine collies!

One thing is for sure - I will never be without dogs in my life.

I always wanted a dog for as long as i can remember. i pestered my parents for ages, as did my sister... she actually brought home a lost Lab once but my dad made her hand him in to the police station... anyway, we eventually got Sam from the SSPCA when i was 8 (well, 9 days before my 9th birthday ) and he was amazing... such a fantastic dog, and we all adored him. i was devasted when he died when i was 17 he had cancer but died a day after we found out. he just slipped away himself...

i then spent the next 3 years going on and on about getting another dog... i so missed having one around. then 2 days before my 20th birthday my parents finally agreed i could get one that would be all mine the next day we headed to the SSPCA, saw a dog we liked (a 3 legged SBTx girly) and went back the next day to take my niece and nephew along to meet her. but a litter had just gone up for rehoming that day, and coz of the kids, they suggested we have a look at them... and i ended up going home with a teeny little bundle i called Jake (they had called him Moby but i thought that was a horrible name for him ). I couldnt be without him now... i could never be without any dog.

I would love to get another dog now, but my parents still say no... but when i move out, dog number 2 will come along and probably number 3 not long after... think 3 would be my max though

I never planned to have this many dogs... (4 soon to be 5!) infact the only dog I ever went looking for was Zoe, right after my childhood dog died. But i always had dogs, and always will. When I was a kid I wanted 2 dogs, a Doberman and a GSD, even though I had 2 dogs (a Springer x American Cocker and a terrier mix) I wanted 2 BIG dogs Then I decided a smaller dog would be best, while I'm young and renting, so after Patches died, I found Zoe, a Lhasa x Bichon. but by then I was living with a St. Poodle, and training her... I totally fell in love with the breed! So after that i wanted my next dog to be a St. Poodle... But then I adopted Scout from the rescue I volunteer with, after that I decided that deaf dogs, specifically terriers are for me, so when Oliver came up, he was too good to be true, so I adopted him (and flew him from Texas) but he wasn't deaf, so when Mouse came up, i adopted her... from Washington... I really wanted 2 deaf dogs... and now, I will be getting deaf dog #3 another little Deaf and VI Dachshund, to match Mouse! LOL... but I've always known I would have lots of dogs. My life is dogs, I work to pay for my dogs

But I would really like to get an Irish Terrier puppy, one day I think planning is not for me, when the right dog comes along, I adopt it. It's always a feeling with me... "ONG I HAVE TO HAVE IT!!!" then I get it LOL.

I often say that I'll only ever get Deaf Dogs from now on (yes, I do vastly prefer them!) but then, I may meet a dog that I just have to have, who isn't deaf, so i dont believe myself... But right now, i have the 4 best have to have's and dont regret a minute of adopting them! I hope my new guy works out just as well!