How to Give Dogs Water

Healthy dogs often have control over their water intake, although this is not necessarily true for puppies and older dogs. Unless there are serious signs of health problems, your dog will most likely drink enough water after a few changes in diet and water bowl arrangement.

Table of Contents

Dealing with dehydration

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Watch for signs of dehydration. Most healthy dogs have pretty good control of their water intake. Don’t worry if you haven’t checked your dog for signs of health problems or dehydration:

Gently pinch the skin on your dog’s nape or between the shoulder blades, then let go. If the dog’s skin doesn’t immediately return to its original position, your dog may be dehydrated.
Gently press your finger against the dog’s gums until the spot fades, then lift your finger. If the gum you just pressed doesn’t quickly return to its original color, your dog may be dehydrated. ^{[1] X Research Source}
Other signs that can appear when a dog is dehydrated are lethargy, loss of appetite, urine volume and urine color change. If only these signs are present, the condition is not critical, unless they are very severe or persist for more than a day.

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Identify risk factors. A dog’s life stages and health problems can increase the frequency and severity of dehydration. You should pay special attention in the following cases:

Similar to people, dogs can also become dehydrated in hot weather. You need to make sure your dog drinks enough water when it’s hot.
Vomiting, diarrhea, panting, or drooling can all cause dehydration if your dog doesn’t drink more water to replace the lost fluid.
Similarly, kidney disease and other chronic diseases can also cause dehydration.
If your dog is diabetic, pregnant, lactating, very young or very old, you should take your dog to the vet at the first sign of dehydration.

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Take the dog to the vet. If your dog shows any of the above symptoms and refuses to drink water, you need to take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. Your veterinarian may administer an isotonic saline solution intravenously or subcutaneously to quickly rehydrate your dog.

Your veterinarian will also check your dog for health problems that can lead to dehydration, such as kidney disease. After making a diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe medication or a special diet for your dog.

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Give your dog a rehydration solution. If your dog is showing symptoms of dehydration but you can’t get to the doctor right away, you can dilute Pedialyte rehydration solution with an equal amount of water and give your dog 1 cup (240 mL) every hour. ^{[2] X Research Sources} Rehydration solutions are available from pharmacies.

Do not add any other ingredients, or you may cause further harm to your dog.
While other types of rehydration solutions are also easy to buy, it’s still a good idea to consult your veterinarian before using them, if possible.
If you live in the US, you can use the Pedialyte website to locate the nearest store that sells Pedialyte rehydration solution.

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Add flavor and electrolytes to the water. If Pedialyte solution is not available, pour a little salted chicken broth or diluted carrot juice into the water. This helps to replace the electrolytes lost due to dehydration, while adding flavor to appeal to the sick dog.

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Use a syringe if necessary. If your sick dog is determined to refuse to drink water, you need to find a syringe without a needle to suck the water and pump it into the dog’s mouth. Spray water on the inside of the dog’s cheeks instead of directly into the throat to avoid choking.

Daily Tactics

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Let the dog exercise. Dogs need daily exercise like brisk walking or playing in the park or yard. If your dog isn’t getting enough exercise, he’s probably not dehydrated from panting and won’t be as thirsty as other healthy active dogs.

When taking your dog for a long walk, bring water with you and give your dog a drink every 10 minutes. This will train the dog to drink water regularly at home.
You should only let your dog exercise when it is healthy. For older or sick dogs, ask your veterinarian about other options.

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Feed your dog wet food. There is already a lot of water in wet food and is usually indicated on the feed box by the words “% moisture content” (“water content”). You can replace whole dry dog food with wet food, be sure to check product labels or ask your veterinarian about the right amount of food for your dog.

You can also choose to soak the dry food in a bowl of water for 30-60 minutes before giving it to your dog.

Arrange the water dish

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Always keep water available for your dog to drink. If your home has multiple floors, you should place a bowl of water on each floor that your dog can access. If your dog is often out in the yard or locked in a room, you need to place an extra bowl of water in those areas.

Try to put the “watering station” in a permanent place so your dog knows where to go to get water.
Dogs on a leash outdoors can get caught in a leash or a tangled leash and can’t access the water bowl. ^{[3] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} If there is no alternative to a dog leash, clear any obstructions and place a bowl of water next to the leash. The water bowl can be spilled by getting caught in the chain or chain, so you need to check it regularly and rehydrate as needed.

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Change water regularly. Every day you should empty the water in the bowl, wash off any residue before pouring new water and use a paper towel to wipe the sides of the bowl. Change the water every time you notice dog hair or dirt in the water bowl or when the bowl is full. In hot weather, you may need to check the water bowl every few hours.

Thoroughly wash and dry the bowl of water at least once a week. Wash more often if the water bowl is dirty.

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Consider using an automatic water bottle for your dog or cat. This type of water bottle may be more appealing to dogs who like to drink running water or to puppies who are not used to drinking water from a bowl. Drinking bottles also make it easier for dogs with low vision to find.

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Put ice cubes in the water on hot days. Many dogs like to drink cold water. Put some ice cubes in a bowl of water and let the dog see. Maybe your dog will be curious to come and try to examine the bowl of water.

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Make the water bowl more lively. If you don’t want to buy an automatic drinker, try shaking the water bowl or waving a toy over the water bowl. A few blueberries or small treats in a bowl of water can also encourage your dog to drink as he pulls his favorite things out of the water.

If the dog remains lethargic, try again after replacing the dog water bowl with a regular cup or bowl of a different shape and color.

Advice

Do not place your dog’s water bowl in the sun. Most dogs do not like to drink warm water.

Warning

If your dog is finally willing to drink water after you’ve worked so hard to calm him down, you should let him drink. Excessive attention can distract the dog from the water bowl.
Do not let dogs drink water in the bathroom; That could be a source of disease-causing bacteria. ^{[4] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Steps

Dealing with dehydration

Daily Tactics

Arrange the water dish

Advice

Warning

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