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Originally Posted by MyTrixie143  All of mine are kept in the house with me, they are my babies and spoiled rightly so. Each dog has their own bed, bowls, toys, wardrobe, etc. I think of them first and foremost as my spoiled babies.
I could NEVER have an outside dog or dogs kept in a separate building. I love being with them every moment as do they. I really can't understand people who have outside dogs or keep them in a separate building. I am not saying there is anything wrong with it, it just isn't for me and not something I would ever do or really understand why someone would want to.
I do not use kennels, mine have free roam of the house. I do keep the puppies in a expen which is in the family room with us until they are old enough to safely be out all the time with the other dogs. I do have what I call the puppy room, it is the dog's room. It has beds, toys, pads, clothes in it, it is basically their own room. But the don't stay in there except for when we leave to go somewhere or we have company over that isn't fond of dogs. The only other time they will go in there is when I have to separate the males from the females. It isn't as nice as Brenda's yorkie room but we plan on spicing it up next year.
I do have expens and whelping boxes for the pregnant moms. When they get close to their due date I will put them in their boxes which is enclosed by the expen. The expens are placed throughout the house, usually in my bedroom, living room and family room. I tried putting one in the puppy room but it felt too far away for me as I want to keep a close eye on them every minute I can. When Destiny had her pups I slept in the same room so I could stay close by and keep an eye on everything. I plan to do this with every litter. So for the first few weeks of the puppy's lives I don't get much sleep. You can say I am an over protective mom but I wouldn't want it any other way.
As for females and males, I have 3 breeding males (2 yorkies and 1 maltese) and 4 breeding females (2 yorkies and 2 maltese). I may get another female yorkie sometime but that will be it for now. The rest of my babies (3) are just pets.
I won't lie, it is a lot of work having 10 dogs. I sweep and clean every day, pads are washed everyday, dogs are bathed once every week except for my 3 pets, they get bathed once every month because their hair is different and they don't need it. Toys and beds are cleaned every two weeks. Dog bowls are cleaned and sterilized every day.
I am very picky about having everything clean and sterilized. I can't stand dogs kept in unsanitary or unclean conditions.
It seems like a lot to most people but honestly I have gotten into a routine that I am so use to it that it doesn't seem like much work. Except on those really long tiring days, lol.
And I must say that in order for me to have 10 dogs in one house, they all have to get along. They are all socialized at an early age and are taught to get along with one another, this is very very important. If I didn't have well behaved dogs I don't know how I would do it. I have never yet had any of them fight.
Sorry for rambling on, I am a bit bored right now,lol. |
As of right now, this sounds like me. All of mine stay in my house, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Someday I will need to have a separate area built onto the house though, I would like them to have their own room. Mine all have their own wardrobes, bowls, toys, etc. too...and I do spend a fortune but I think it's worth it. Right now, since I'm living with my mom, it makes things a little more difficult. I have the bonus room, which is pretty big, much bigger than the other rooms in the house at least. I have all my crates and playpens set up against the walls around the room, along with Lily's cat tree, because she needed something to get away from the dogs sometimes...lol. I just ordered another big crate/pen that opens at the top for the room as well. The adults are only crated when I leave or if there are people over at the house (the latter isn't very often), and the babies stay in a huge playpen, but come out a few times a day with diapers on to play in the room with the adults. All my adults, for the most part, are potty trained to go outside, so that can be a hassle at times, because I have to run downstairs with all of them every few hours or so...and three of them won't go down the steps themselves and I have to carry them to the door...
Right now I have 4 breeding girls, 1 pet (a girl...Sophie), and 1 breeding male who isn't anywhere near old enough to breed yet. I use my friend's male right now, and he's the daddy to Ryder, my future stud. I'm considering very seriously getting 1 more male, so I can always have something to breed to without doing it too close to the lines. I have a pretty good prospect in a male from a litter just born a few weeks ago to my friend. She had 5 boys, and they're all small, but not anywhere near as small as Ryder's litter...which is good, I wouldn't want another one this small. They're only 3 weeks old today, but they're gorgeous little boys, and they're out of a completely different mother and father, none of which have any lines that are the same as Ryder or any of my females. Either that or I'll find another male that I fall in love with lol. But I think that would be a good number...4 breeding females and a 2 males...plus the one pet. She's actually out of Brooklyn and Ryder's daddy, and they were just bred again, so I can show her off when these pups are born...
I clean like crazy too...I'm ALWAYS doing something for the dogs...but I really don't mind, they're my babies. I don't think I could ever have a kennel, although I know some people do it. I agree with YorkieRose...there is a BIG difference. My friend has a kennel, and although they're all well socialized and happy, my dogs are much closer to me and are always clean and happy...not that hers aren't...but it's just...DIFFERENT! I mean, mine sleep in my bed with me...it isn't logical that it would be the same.
