Keeping Your Dog Hydrated
Dehydration is no laughing matter. Just as in humans, staying well hydrated is critical to the health and wellbeing of your dog. Water regulates your dog’s body temperature, aids digestion, waste removal, and muscle and nerve function. It also helps fight bad breath! Your dog should take in about 1 cup of water per 10 pounds of body weight.
Staying hydrated can be hard enough for ourselves, it can be even more difficult for the dogs we love. They’ll typically only drink when they’re thirsty, but on hot days or days with a lot of activity and play, they may not be able to keep up. Additionally, in stressful or distracting environments, they may not even drink at all.
What are signs of dehydration?
Loss of skin elasticity
Loss of appetite
Vomiting with or without diarrhea
Reduced energy levels and lethargy
Panting
Sunken, dry-looking eyes
Dry nose
Dry, sticky gums
Thick saliva
Loss of skin elasticity is the easiest signs to test for dehydration. Gently hold some of the dog’s skin near the shoulder blades, raise it up, and then let it go. Watch carefully as it falls back into place. In well-hydrated dogs, the skin instantly will spring back to its original position. The skin of dehydrated dogs, on the other hand, will take longer to fall back into place.
How do you make them drink more water?
1. Provide More Water Bowls.
Your dog may not drink enough water if there’s just one water bowl in your home. You should keep a bowl outside, though you’ll have to remove outdoor debris daily. You can also keep water bowls in your living room, bedroom, and anywhere else your dog hangs out.
2. Get A Doggy Drinking Fountain
Some dogs prefer standing water, others are tempted to drink from bubbling fountains. Drinking fountains contain filters that remove any taste or odor that may be preventing your dog from drinking enough.
3. Make A Doggy Smoothie
If you love making smoothies in the morning, you can make a little extra to share with your dog. Just make sure not to add any sugar, or other ingredients that are not safe for dogs. Dogs are typically lactose intolerant, but may be able to handle a small amount of yogurt; the probiotics are excellent for digestion. Green, leafy veggies like kale and spinach provide vitamins K, C and E, plus protein and calcium. Sweet fruits like strawberries, blueberries and apples are all good for dogs. Smoothies should be given in moderation, about 1 tablespoon per 5 pounds of body weight.
4. Add Water To Your Dog’s Food
You can add water to any type dog food: kibble, canned, or even homemade and commercial raw. You can soak kibble in water and keep it in your fridge for up to three days. Crunchy kibble does not actually clean your dog’s teeth – canine toothpaste, water additives and rope bones are better for that – so you shouldn’t avoid adding water for that reason.
5. Make Doggy Ice Pops
Some dogs aren’t interested in water, but love licking ice cubes. You can make iced treats by freezing blocks of water, or even mixing in a smoothie, low-sodium broth or other flavor additives before freezing. A silicone ice tray can make perfectly portioned ice treats.
6. Wash Water Bowls Daily
Some dogs will drink out of mud puddles, while others will avoid a slight murky bowl. Others are sensitive to the sound of their tags clanging on the stainless steel or ceramic.
7. Get A Bigger Dog Bowl
Your dog’s water bowl should be larger than their food bowl. It should be large enough to hold much more water than they typically drink each day, so it’s never empty. Instead of filling a dry bowl, you should be dumping it out and refilling it.
