08/10/2026
Sharing from another breeder. She explained it so well! It’s not a lifestyle for everyone, but it’s the one I chose.
🐾 Let’s Talk About Numbers… and What It REALLY Takes ❤️
I made a post the other day about some of the ugly comments that come with sharing your life on social media, so I’m not going to make this another post about negativity.
This one is different.
This morning, someone made a comment saying I should basically be “locked up” because of the number of dogs I have.
Instead of making another post about ugly comments, I thought maybe this was a good opportunity to talk about something people may not truly understand.
What does it actually take to responsibly care for multiple dogs?
I get asked quite often, “How many dachshunds do you have?”
And my answer will continue to be that I don’t publicly give an exact number.
Not because I’m hiding something. It’s simply personal information, and more importantly, a number by itself tells you absolutely NOTHING about the quality of care an animal receives.
SOMEONE CAN HAVE TWO DOGS AND NEGLECT THEM.
SOMEONE ELSE CAN HAVE MANY DOGS AND STRUCTURE THEIR ENTIRE LIFE, HOME, PROPERTY, FINANCES AND DAILY ROUTINE AROUND MAKING SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE IS PROPERLY CARED FOR.
A NUMBER DOES NOT TELL YOU HOW WELL AN ANIMAL IS CARED FOR.
That is something I really wish people would understand.
Instead of asking how many dogs someone has, maybe the better question is:
HOW ARE THOSE DOGS LIVING?
Because THAT is what matters.
Having multiple dogs and doing it properly takes an incredible amount of money.
And when I say incredible, I mean if some people actually knew what we spend caring for our dogs, it would probably blow their minds.
Quality dog food is only the beginning.
There is heartworm and flea prevention, deworming, routine veterinary care, unexpected veterinary bills, medications, health testing, grooming supplies, cleaning supplies, beds, blankets, bones, toys, treats, fencing, heating, air conditioning, electricity and about a hundred other things that people probably never think about.
But here’s the other thing.
Money alone isn’t enough.
You also have to be willing to put in the WORK.
And I don’t think people understand just how much work goes into our dogs every single day.
My husband has put an unbelievable amount of time and work into making our property enjoyable and safe for them.
He has built ramps because protecting those long dachshund backs is important to us.
He has created outdoor play areas for them. They basically have their own little dachshund playground. 😂
He mows and maintains the areas they use. He maintains fencing. He repairs things. He keeps their outside areas safe. He fills the holes they apparently believe MUST be dug immediately after he fixes everything. 😂
There is constantly something being worked on, cleaned, repaired or improved for the dogs.
And that’s just OUTSIDE.
Inside, the work never stops either.
Every single day there is cleaning.
Vacuuming.
Mopping.
Washing blankets and beds.
Cleaning crates.
Washing bowls.
Filling water.
Feeding.
Giving medications and preventatives when they’re due.
Letting dogs outside.
Letting dogs back inside.
Picking up after them.
Cleaning up whatever mess somebody decided to make.
And then starting all over again.
There really isn’t a day off when animals depend on you.
But I chose this life, and so did my family.
And I believe dogs need more than food, water and a place to sleep.
THEY NEED A LIFE.
I don’t believe in having multiple dogs just to keep them locked away.
My dogs have safe, climate controlled spaces. They have air conditioning when it’s hot and heat when it’s cold.
They get plenty of outside time.
They run.
They play.
They dig.
They chase each other.
They get muddy.
They chew bones.
They play with toys.
They climb all over my furniture.
They take over my couch.
They take over my bed. 😂
They follow me everywhere.
They interact with our family every single day.
They receive attention, companionship, affection and a tremendous amount of love.
And here’s the thing…
You don’t have to take my word for ANY of this.
Scroll through my page.
It’s all there.
Look at their body condition.
Look at their coats.
Look at their personalities.
Look at them running through the yard.
Look at them playing.
Look at them getting muddy.
Look at them stretched across my furniture.
Look at them piled around me.
Look at their confidence.
Look at how comfortable they are with us.
Look at how they LIVE.
I show their lives almost every single day.
People see a 30 second video of a bunch of dachshunds running toward me and may only see the number of dogs.
I see everything behind that video.
I see the money we’ve invested.
I see my husband working outside again.
I see the ramps he’s built.
I see the playground we’ve created.
I see the climate controlled spaces.
I see the food.
I see the veterinary appointments.
I see the preventatives.
I see the health testing.
I see the mountains of laundry. 😂
I see the cleaning.
I see the HOURS of work.
And most importantly…
I see the LOVE.
And yes, I am a breeder.
I’m proud of the breeding program I’ve built, but having multiple dogs does NOT mean every dog here is constantly being bred.
My girls typically have only three to four litters during their time in my breeding program before they retire.
Some of my dogs are retired.
Some are young and have never been bred.
Some are still growing and being evaluated.
Some may eventually become part of my breeding program.
Some may never be bred at all.
Part of building a breeding program is thinking several generations ahead.
I’ve invested heavily in bringing different bloodlines into my program, including imports, and I’m continuing to expand our health testing. My goal is to improve health, temperament and structure with each generation.
I’m building generations. I’m not trying to get endless litters out of the same females.
We’ve also taken the time to understand the laws and requirements that apply to us because knowing your responsibilities is part of doing this properly.
So when someone decides that I have “too many dogs,” based on whatever number THEY personally believe is acceptable, I wish they would look beyond a number.
Look at the dogs in front of you.
Are they starving?
No.
Are they unhealthy and forgotten somewhere?
No.
Are they spending their entire lives locked away?
No.
Are they receiving veterinary care?
Yes.
Are they well fed?
Yes.
Do they have heat when they’re cold and air conditioning when they’re hot?
Yes.
Do they have safe places to sleep?
Yes.
Do they have room to run and play?
Yes.
Do they have beds, blankets, toys and more bones than they probably know what to do with?
Absolutely. 😂
Are they part of our everyday lives?
YES.
Are they loved?
MORE THAN I COULD EVER PUT INTO WORDS. ❤️
So no, I don’t believe the number of dogs someone owns automatically tells you whether they’re a good or bad dog owner.
Someone can have TWO dogs and neglect them.
And someone else can have many dogs and devote an enormous portion of their life, finances, home, property and time to making sure those dogs have everything they need.
That’s why the number isn’t what matters to me.
The LIFE behind that number does.
You are absolutely allowed to look at my life and think:
“There is NO WAY I could live with that many dachshunds!” 😂😂
That’s okay!
This life isn’t for everybody.
It’s loud.
It’s expensive.
It’s messy.
There are muddy footprints.
There is barking.
There is always laundry.
There is always something that needs cleaning.
There is always something that needs fixing.
There is always something that needs buying.
And apparently there will never again be enough room for me on my own bed. 😂
But we chose this life.
And when you choose this life, you also choose the responsibility that comes with it.
So I’m not going to give social media a headcount.
Instead, I’ll continue showing you something much more important.
I’LL SHOW YOU THEIR LIVES.
Because I don’t owe strangers on the internet a number.
I owe my dogs a good life.
I owe them quality food.
I owe them veterinary care.
I owe them preventative care.
I owe them a clean and safe environment.
I owe them warmth when they’re cold and air conditioning when they’re hot.
I owe them room to run and play.
I owe them enrichment.
I owe them my time.
I owe them patience.
I owe them happiness.
And above everything else…
I OWE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM LOVE. ❤️
And if you want to know whether they’re getting those things, you don’t need to know how many dachshunds I have.
Just look at them. Their lives speak for themselves. 🐾❤️
Written by Jessica Jordan Cherished Dachshunds and you’re welcome to share❤️
💕A beautiful girl for some attention 💕
