Jessica Simpson has eight dogs because ‘Santa brings a dog every year’


Yesterday I covered an interview Jessica Simpson gave recently, but we didn’t get into the actual event she was attending, which was the PetSafe Unleashed contest launch. PetSafe is a group that facilitates the creation of dog parks across the country, and they’re holding a contest to celebrate their 25th anniversary. You can find details here, but the gist is that one community will be winning a brand new dog park. Last Friday’s event marked the first day you could enter the contest, and coincided with International Dog Day. I never knew that August 25 was International Dog Day. In my house Dog Day runs from January 1 – December 31, and it seems the same is true for Jessica Simpson. She shared with Extra how it’s Santa’s fault her family now has eight dogs:

On Friday, Jessica Simpson brought her doggy Penny Lane and her daughter Maxwell, 11, to PetSafe Unleashed in L.A. for pet owners and their furry friends.

“Extra’s” Terri Seymour spoke with Jessica, who told us she is making some new music.

She teased she will “have some of my southern roots back while I am in the recording studio.”

As for how she feels to be back in the studio, Simpson admitted, “It gives me chills thinking about it because I know that whenever I open this big old trap of mine, a lot is going to come out and it’s going to be really powerful. I finally feel connected enough to my purpose in music, and I know exactly what it is I want to do. It’s very exciting.”

Simpson said she feels like it is the perfect time to return to music. “I really wanted my kids to be raised as normal as possible in the first 10 years,” she said. “Like, I didn’t want to be on the road all the time, I didn’t want to be gone all the time, and I feel like I’ve given that to them.”

Terri also spoke to Maxwell, who is ready to follow her mom’s showbiz footsteps in singing, business, and fashion!

Jessica praised Maxwell’s singing, saying, “She has an unbelievable voice.”

While Maxwell noted that she’s “not a big stage person,” Jessica is gonna let her “test some waters” once she starts “touring next year.”

For now, Maxwell is all about the dogs!

Jessica shared, “Maxwell is a dog person, so we wanted to bring Penny here to see if she would socialize.”

As for how she ended up with eight dogs, Jessica explained, “When Max was younger, she asked Santa for a dog, and it’s happened every year for eight years, so Santa brings a dog every year.”

Between the kids and the dogs, is it complete chaos at home? Jessica quipped, “I don’t even know what life would be without chaos. I think I’d be very bored. I’m sure I complain at times that there’s too much going on, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[From Extra]

I guess it’s lucky they celebrate one day of Christmas and not eight nights of Hanukkah, or they’d be overrun! I love love love my dog, but I can’t imagine having eight at once. If you have the space and money to handle it, though, and take in rescues, then more power to you. Penny Lane is a great name for a dog. I tried looking up the names of the rest of Jessica’s dogs, but could only confirm one, Dixie.

As for her human babies, I hope Jessica is being a proud mama but not a stage one. Just from reading the interview, it’s hard to get a sense of how much Maxwell is genuinely into singing.

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13 Responses to “Jessica Simpson has eight dogs because ‘Santa brings a dog every year’”

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  1. Southern Fried says:

    That would be us if we had the time and money and space. Maybe one day… We’d also like more kids, kids who need a home. Seems Jessica is a good person and new music? I’ll give it a try.

  2. Pinkosaurus says:

    That is an adorable dog, but I really really hope these are rescues or shelter dogs and not from breeders.

  3. ML says:

    Has dog ownership changed in the US since I lived there? Rule of thumb used to be 1 hour of walking/ exercise and 1 hour of quality time with your pet—and that’s what it is with rescues where I live. How on earth can she do that with 8(!) dogs?

    • Dandun says:

      Cause she’s not doing it all herself! I’m sure she has dogwalkers etc to help care for them all

  4. Twin Falls says:

    That’s some Veruca Salt ish to give eight dogs to one child.

  5. maisie says:

    I’ve been in houses of people who have many dogs and I guarantee you there is ALWAYS dog crap lying around. And there’s gonna be a dog peeing somewhere in the house at least once a day. People who have that many dogs simply can’t keep up with their needs.

  6. MinorityReport says:

    I do celebrate Hanukkah, and shout out to “Puppy for Hanukkah “ by Daveed Digs, ain’t no way my kids are getting a puppy EVERY year. More power to the people who can handle multiple dogs. Bless. 😁

    • ama1977 says:

      Right? We have one medium-sized dog and she’s the perfect amount of dog, lol. I feel like I’m fighting a constant battle against her fur as it is (she’s a golden retriever mix and sheds blond fur like it’s her job. She is also spoiled and allowed on the furniture, so it’s my fault, lol!) It makes me a little crazy so adding more is not something we will be looking at! But she’s the best, so I lint brush and vacuum and Roomba and sweep, lol.

      Also honk for rescues!! Our furball is a rescue and the sweetest, funniest, smartest, lovingest floof in the whole world. Adopt don’t shop, please!

      • HoofRat says:

        We have one smart, sassy rescue terrier cross who just got a peroxide treatment and hose bath after rolling in skunk poop, bless her heart.
        When I retire in a few years, we’d like to foster, but no way do I have the time right now to give another dog all the attention and exercise it needs. And yes, rescues are wonderful; shelters in our area have stopped accepting dogs as so many people are surrendering them- it breaks my heart that people are still buying dogs when all that puppy wonderfulness at the shelter is just waiting for a home and some love.

  7. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    Hoarding animals is not emotionally healthy behavior. Dogs are living things, not collectible objects.

  8. Mrs. S says:

    I have 4 dogs now (65 pound aussiedoodle, 56 pound standard poodle, 8 pound pomeranian, and 4 pound chihuahua),and just put in an application today to a rescue for a 3.5 pound chihuahua. I’m a stay at home dog mama, so my life is devoted to the health and happiness of our fur kids.

  9. Bumblebee says:

    We have 2 cats and 2 dogs. That’s enough for us!
    8 dogs, some people can do that, I hope she has help, a dog walker, and has trained them. Dogs without rules is stressful for everyone. But the endless cuddles!