Eight Dogs Are Enough!

Steve talks about his family pack of eight

The American Dog reports
Photo by Heather Green Photography

Q: What are the names, breeds and ages of all eight dogs?

Loretta is a terrier mix (3 years old), Ursula is a Min Pin(6 years old), Wolfgang is a Min Pin (11 years old), Hercules is a Min Pin (12 years old), Ignatius is a Min Pin (11 years old), Espironza is a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix (11 years old), Madeline is also a Min Pin (11 years old), and Earlie is our Irish Wolfhound, and he is (7 years old).

Q: Who was the first dog to join your family?

Ursula is the oldest dog we have. She will turn 17-years-old in January and she was born in the house we currently live in.

Q: How did you end up with all eight dogs?

It wasn't planned - kind of by accident. My roommate moved in with a eightweek- old Min Pin puppy named Hercules. At the time I had three female Min Pins that weren't spayed. I kept planning to get them all spayed, but we weren't in a hurry because Hercules was so young. But at seven months he was evidently old enough, and all three females became pregnant at the same time. Since we are not in the breeding business we wanted all the puppies to go to friends and relatives, but we still ended up keeping two of the puppies. Ursula was one of the females that became pregnant, Wolfgang and Ignatius are the two puppies we kept. As soon as the puppies were weaned and old enough, everyone in the house was fixed!

The big guy, Earlie, is the third Irish Wolfhound companion I have had. They are such wonderful dogs that I always want to have one in my life - so that's how he came to be here. The others are adult dogs that were rescued, two from the pound and Madeline came to us from a friend who moved out of state and couldn't take her along. Incidentally, Madeline is one of the original puppies I mentioned above. Hercules is her father, so we couldn't refuse her.

Eight dogs is definitely enough. One day I would like to get down to a reasonable number, maybe three or four, but having all of them now is wonderful, and I can't imagine ever giving any of them up. It's a lot of work, but they are worth it and fill our house with so much joy and laughter.

Q: Do all eight dogs get along or are there squabbles?

Generally, all the dogs get along great. But like any big family, there are many squabbles. Wolfgang and Ignatius are brothers and so they get along just like two siblings. The small dogs have a tendency to get irritated by the Irish Wolfhound because he (accidentally?) steps on them from time to time, but he is not easily provoked.

Q: Which dog is the "boss"?

My roommate and I have a disagreement about this. He thinks Hercules rules the roost, but I'm just as certain that it is Wolfgang. Either way, we are in agreement that the Min Pins are in charge.

Q: Do all the dogs have their own bed or sleep in your bed?

I kind of have a pet bed fetish so there are practically pet beds in every room. My bedroom even has a dog bed built into the wall so you would think they would all sleep in their own beds, but oddly enough, six of the eight dogs sleep in my bed, Hercules sleeps in my roommate's bed, and Earlie has his own queen mattress to sleep on because he is so large!

Q: Do you take all eight dogs for a walk together or in shifts?

We take all eight at the same time. We've got it down now, my roommate takes four and I take the other four. There is not a day that goes by from someone asking us if we are professional dog walkers.

Q: :What is your dog food bill per month to feed eight mouths?

I spend in the range of $225 a month. I feed them a no-grain dry food that has the benefits of a raw food diet. I could definitely get by with a smaller bill, but I think this will help them all live longer, healthier lives.

Q: What is a typical weekend at your house with all the canine kids?

It's a gravy train commercial when we wake up with all the dogs running down the stairs barking with excitement for breakfast, it's their favorite time of day. Then because almost all of the dogs are elderly, everyone takes a nap. We shoot for a walk in the evenings and there is a dog in practically every chair in the house when we settle down for a movie.

Q: How do your dogs make your life special?

I honestly can't imagine life without them. Every one of them brings something special to our lives, they each are so different. Wolfgang likes to travel, we just got back from Cape Cod a couple weeks ago. Walking on the beach with Wolfgang was really one of the highlights of the trip. I had his portrait painted by an artist there nine years ago and she still recognized him when we walked into her shop this year.

Madeline likes to go with me to the car wash or church when the weather isn't too warm. Loretta likes to go to get groceries and would be happy to have me hold her for the rest of her life, putting her down only to eat - she's in my lap now as I write this. Ignatius is our sensitive soul, he loves to give big hugs. I can't go to sleep at night without him wrapping his paws around my neck and kissing my ear. Hercules loves luxury, he's a dog that truly enjoys the comforts of life. He and Tom are almost always together. Espironza doesn't like to go far, but she's the only one that will really play with toys, and she loves her food more than any dog here. Earlie loves to go to a friends' boarding stable to run with the horses, which is quite a sight as he lopes along - just like a small horse himself. And finally, Ursula is our senior citizen who still has many of the traits of a young puppy. She sometimes bumps into things, and has moments of confusion, but time has truly made her sweeter, and we enjoy all the years we have been blessed with her so far.