How many dogs over capacity do you go?

I've gone way over capacity some days, to add daycare dogs or because I have a grooming client arriving. I went a full 4 dogs over one day because I wanted to add a short term daycare dog (it was only 3 hours) and because I had grooming clients coming over the same day AND some close friends of ours had to leave town and needed someone to watch their dogs.

It was a circus, but it worked out.

I've had a few with stays that overlapped like that, and it can take some juggling, but it's really not that bad to pull off. Having an extra hand will certainly help! If you accept the other reservations, just do some planning ahead to decide how you want everybody to be fed at meal times, who you are going to place with who, and how you plan to exchange play groups when you put everybody up for the night. As long as you have a game plan, you'll do fine.

Pro Tip: Make sure you have crates for each dog. I've never accepted more dogs than I had a crate for, and that has saved me from many potentially bad situations.

I'd suggest you keep the M&G because you never know if that will be a match from both sides (you could let them know you are booking up quickly though so if it doesn't get booked this time, maybe next time). In the beginning, I went over my desired capacity and the circus wasn't worth it, especially since there's no other human to help out and I don't require every dog to be crated. So, the fact that you have a partner in this changes things and if you require a crate for each one then you should be fine.

Before describing my situation here are some facts:

1. I have a 3 bedroom house where one of the rooms is specifically set up for dog boarding
2. My back yard is a quarter acre
3. My cousin and I watch the dogs together
4. All dogs were repeat clients except 2.

I made a mistake on July 4th weekend and continued to accept Rover requests without looking to see what capacity I was at because all the dogs after the first request were repeat clients. I HAD 16 DOGS IN MY HOUSE (4 are mine). The stay surprisingly went well with this many, however I do not recommend this many dogs at one time. My cousin and I were home 24/7 during this and we had to clean A LOT. Our saving grace of this situation was that the dogs were 90% repeat clients and already understood house rules and my cousin and I's routine. Because of the amount of dogs we had to schedule a "play time" routine where the dogs would take turns playing and being in their kennels (Play time schedules alternated every hour). Feeding was the same. This worked out well also because about half the dogs were younger and other half were older - we grouped them by how they got along and played together.

My point is the following: 1. If you plan to overbook clients, I recommend it is for repeat clients only because you are aware of repeat clients temperaments and they are familiar with house rules and routines. 2. 10 dogs is very manageable IF you have help and the appropriate amount of space in your yard 3. Make sure you have a specific plan and schedule how to manage more dogs at one time.

For your particular scenario, I would assume it is an okay situation since the overlapping stays will have been familiarized with your house rules and routines, however I recommend a meet and greet before commitment.

I have also gone over capacity by 3 or 4. When I do that, it is normally because the dogs that are here are regulars and the ones that want to stay are regulars. I do not go over capacity with dogs that I have never kept simply because one dog can cause complete chaos if it is a barker, whiner, etc.

When I do go over capacity, I have separate out times like half go out and when they are brought in, I take the other half out. While out in the morning and evening, food bowls are filled and put in the crate so that it is all ready for them to come in. It is all about finding a comfortable stride for you!

I second Jessica's Pro Tip about the crates too!

Angela

my general rule is to only accept 1 pet family at a time. I will on occasion and only if it is ok with both clients accept additional dog families.

I take 2 guest dogs at one time. I stick to my limit because I know myself and I can't handle more than 3 dogs at one time (one being my own dog, and she's an almost 13-year-old senior that can't hear or see very well. AND her comfort is PARAMOUNT above all other dogs). So, I will take over my 2, but I prefer not to. I once had a total of 5 dogs in my house over xmas break and that about killed me. TOO many dogs for me, and I had my husband helping me 24/7 with them.

I take 4 dogs usually and 2 doggy daycares I live in a Condominium to. But I walk in different times small dogs with small dogs and medium dogs with the medium if I have all medium I would take 4 and 3 as I have a dog too. Though it's hard to say no to her on every walk LOL. I don't require crates for every dog as I have a room just for the boarding and a gate in front of it. As far as feeding I put them all over the house though I’ve learned I have to put my own in a crate because she go around trying to eat every all the dogs food and not eat hers till theirs is gone.