Water-for Puppies / Dogs

Today I would like to visit with you on the subject of water for your puppy. We are hoping that you enjoy this article and find it helpful as well as informative.

The thoughts we share with you today are based on many years of hands on care-giving experience and our observations with the puppies we have cared for.

While your puppy requires both food and water, I would like to talk about water today. The water your puppy drinks needs to be fresh and from a good source. Normally, tap water is a good source that is free from contaminants. Without getting technical, here is a good guideline to follow, if you would drink it, your puppy can to.

Your puppy should not be allowed to drink water from a source that you wouldn’t drink from. One example to offer would be that you wouldn’t drink from outside sources such as a stream or pond. Harmful contaminants and bacterial as well as parasites are often found in these places.

Puppies need more water than dogs because puppies are growing. In considering this, we promote that puppies have water available at all times. This is, in our opinion the only way to completely prevent dehydration which can easily occur, especially in smaller puppies that are eight to sixteen weeks of age.

I will share with you there are some people who don’t feel that water should always be available for your puppy. Our goal is not to try to change their opinions or be argumentative, but to share with you that you will avoid the problems associated with dehydration of a puppy by having the water available at all times. The exception to having water available at all times for your puppy would be when your puppy is being treated by a Veterinarian and you are following their instructions.

Explaining it politely, the majority of dehydration problems that we have seen over the years are not medically related, but a by-product of the environment. When the water wasn’t left out for the puppy by the owner and the puppy suffered dehydration and required medical intervention to restore its health. We can’t stress enough the importance of having fresh water available for your puppy at all times, especially in smaller puppies that are eight to sixteen weeks of age. Please keep this in mind, having water available for your puppy at all times will eliminate the possibility of any conditions or death that is associated with dehydration.