Most people have an average number of pets. One, two, three or even four dogs are about the average number of dogs a family might have. What about twenty?

Paige Wagner has twenty dogs that she breeds and shows. One of those dogs is pregnant. This is a time and money consuming hobby, and requires a lot of skill and work.

“Their food costs sixty dollars a bag,” Wagner said.

Besides the money, it also takes a lot of time and effort into taking care of the dogs.

“I have to mop the basement where they stay. I also show the dogs at shows,” Wagner said.

Having this many dogs isn’t for just anyone. You have to be able to care for them properly.

“We have a large area in our basement for them. They all get food and water. Also, I have to clean the basement where they stay. They need to be out running around all the time,” Wagner said.

Out of twenty dogs, Wagner has a favorite.

“My favorite dog is a Shih Tzu named Katie. She was just imported from Thailand,” Wagner said.

“Breeding and showing the dogs is a lot of hard work, but it’s exciting,” Wagner said.

Overall, the hard work has paid off.

“Last January I was the seventh junior handler in the country. I have two hundred and nine ribbons and three medals,” Wagner said.

Wagner has dedicated a lot of time and effort into training and taking care of these dogs, and that takes a lot of talent and patience.