There are a lot of people who love dogs and likely keep 1 or 2 at home themselves. But have you ever thought about what life’s like living with several canines at once? Well, if the answer to this question is something that you’d like to know, then thegoodhypeofficial Instagram account is what you need to follow.
Ran by 4 siblings, Brookie, Bryndi, Britta, and Brayden Goodlin, this page gives us a glimpse at life in a household that, according to their Instagram bio, rescues dogs that are set to be euthanized and currently houses 17 of these adorable animals, 12 of which live there permanently and 5 who are being fostered.
Judging by the number of their followers, which already exceeds 2 million, thegoodhypeofficial is definitely one of the most popular social media pages. However, there was 1 video, which was posted several months ago, that exceeded all expectations, garnering more than 2.5 million likes and over 36 million views.
Here, the family, which, at the time, had 1 less dog, showed what kind of adorably funny quirks each of these furry individuals has. The video took the internet by storm, as people online couldn’t get enough of all these cute doggos whose traits were all too relatable for all dog lovers.
While it may be fun to see these adorable videos, it’s quite a different story, actually taking care of many canines at the same time. To help us get a better understanding of this subject, Bored Panda reached out to animal behaviorist Julie Bond, who was happy to share her insights.
The expert began by explaining that having multiple dogs at once is a pretty challenging thing on its own because, according to several studies, the evidence is clear that most dogs feel the best when they live alone with their humans and get to bask in all of their love and attention without having to share.
“Dogs can rely on each other somewhat for play, social time, affection, etc., but domesticated dogs have evolved to primarily want those things from US, not each other,” added Julie, explaining that while having more than 2 canines is absolutely okay, it becomes quite difficult to meet all of the dogs’ needs that go beyond filling their bowls and letting them outside.
Of course, if the dogs are highly sociable, there’s a nice upside to all of this since they’ll always have a buddy to do things with. This kind of scenario, especially when talking about a household with 17 dogs, may be unlikely. Still, as long as everyone can tolerate each other, it can definitely be called a success.
Lastly, for every dog lover out there who’s realistically considering getting more than a couple of dogs, Julie recommended doing a lot of research, which you can start by reading some of her blog posts on this very topic.
“Understand that the only reason to do this is that you, the human, want more dogs,” explained the expert, saying that you shouldn’t do this on the misguided notion that you’re doing it for the dogs to have a friend. “And if you are going to be a multi-dog household, make sure you have the time, patience, and resources to make that a successful living situation for all involved.”
In the end, while these videos might be a lot of fun, it’s important to keep in mind that almost everything that people post on social media is a highlight reel, which leaves a good deal of reality behind the scenes. However, that doesn’t mean that having 17 dogs at home can’t be your thing, too. Just, before you make such a massive commitment, ensure you’re ready.
What did you think about these dogs and their quirks? Which one was your favorite? Share it all in the comments below!
