Regulating water for your puppy..

[wyoung2153]

Question about water for a non-potty trained pup. As of now I am trying to potty train my little girl. She LOVES water (if it's from the outside bowl) and if she starts drinking, she won't stop. So I usually will pick it up after a few gulps. then next time we go out or in a few hours I'll put it down and she will drink some more gulps and I'll pick it up. During the week she is kenneled all day because I work. A friend/neighbor of mine comes over every few hours during the day to let her out and got potty, she will play with her and Titan and she will provide water. When I get home I will take her out for potty and play a little, giving her access to her water, then we go inside. Inside she has her own water dish. I rarely pick it up and restrict that one because she doesn't seem to like drinking from it anyways. It's always fresh so I'm not sure the problem. When we are outside she will act like she NEVER drinks water.. lapping up all the wet spots that are left when I pick it up if it spills. I will direct her to her bowl inside and she wont drink any.. just look at it.. which she didn't used to do when I first got her.

I guess the question I'm asking is how should i "restrict" her water intake or should I not. If I do restrict, how should I make sure she is getting the right amount? She is also eating raw which I know has a lot of moisture.. if that means anything.

Any suggestions?

[MaggieRoseLee]

I really only restrict my pups water intake when I know they are in for some crate time. So I pull it up at night around 9 pm. And if I'm going to work all day watch their intake in the am.

Otherwise it's out all the time.

[BlackGSD]

I don't restrict water at all. Puppies tend to drink a lot. Restricting water can make them crazy, like all they think about is needing a drink. I don't even take water away before bed. IMO part of getting a puppy is having to take it out a zillion times a day and that includes during the night.

Have you tried bringing her outside water container inside to see if she will drink more when she is inside?

[wyoung2153]

Originally Posted by BlackGSD

I don't restrict water at all. Puppies tend to drink a lot. Restricting water can make them crazy, like all they think about is needing a drink. I don't even take water away before bed. IMO part of getting a puppy is having to take it out a zillion times a day and that includes during the night.

Have you tried bringing her outside water container inside to see if she will drink more when she is inside?

I have not acutally, ha. Shoulda thought of that.. I will try it tonight and see what happens. She's so funny with water.. she will go to the outside one and sniff the crap out of it and if there is any dirt in there (from the wind, or my older dog's dirty mouth after playing around) She won't drink it.. she will sniff sniff sniff.. then either I will change it and she will drink it or Titan will take a few gulps and all of a sudden it's fine.

And I do agree. I get up with her every few hours at night to take her out.. if my alarm goes off and she's fast asleep I go back to bed.. if she's staring out her crate.. outside she goes!

[Gracie's My Girl]

My dog has always been an extremely sloppy drinker. She never fails to leave a river flowing from her mouth once she steps away from the water bowl. I have never left the water out because I have always been worried that someone could slip and fall on the spilled water.

When she was a puppy, I would frequently offer her drinks of water during the day. I never set a schedule and always took her to the bathroom as needed. Right now, whenever she wants a drink, she will bring me her bowl to fill. Smart dog.