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11-25-2011, 04:32 PM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada
Posts: 129
| Water bottles, to use or not to use that is the question. . . I have been reading and reading about water bottles and there seems to be some question as to whether or not a dog gets enough water during the day if the only source of water comes from a water bottle. I have been considering using a water bottle instead of a water bowl for Lulu because she has this crazy habit of pawing her water dish over and over before she drinks. She is constantly spilling water all over the placemat her dishes are on and she won't drink from a half empty bowl she'll just paw at it constantly until you fill it up. I switched her bowls from stainless steel ones that tip quite easily to memamine ones with a stainless steel insert which are much more stable but she still spills out tons of water everyday and so a water bottle seems like a way to fix that little issue but I don't want to do something for convenience sake if there is a reason to be concerned about a water bottle being the only source for water. I have looked up water bottles that are specifically for dogs so they have a larger nozzle and stands etc. I'm still a bit torn about the posibility that Lu might not get enough water during the day if I switch her entirely over to a water bottle. I realize I could monitor things and I do plan to do that. I'm just wondering if anyone here has experience with using a water bottle exclusively as a water source for their dog/dogs? If so what water bottle did you have sucess with that had a large enough nozzle and didn't leak? Did it take long for your dog to switch over? |
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11-25-2011, 04:48 PM | #2 |
♥Love My Puppies!♥ Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: US
Posts: 5,786
| I keep a crate in the kitchen with a water bottle attached. They both like to drink from it occasionally but I really think they need a bowl too. It seems like they get a small amount of water from the little nozzle. It doesn't usually leak but we keep a folded wash cloth under it to catch drips. What about trying those bowls on stands? Maybe she couldn't reach it with her paw if it was raised. I have also seen some bowls that have a reservoir around it to catch water.
__________________ RIP My Sweet Darling Angel Daisy 08/09/03 - 10/02/15, RIP My Sweet Baby Boy Teddy Bear 02/01/04 - 02/11/16 Photos HERE |
11-25-2011, 04:54 PM | #3 |
♥Love My Puppies!♥ Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: US
Posts: 5,786
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__________________ RIP My Sweet Darling Angel Daisy 08/09/03 - 10/02/15, RIP My Sweet Baby Boy Teddy Bear 02/01/04 - 02/11/16 Photos HERE |
11-25-2011, 06:05 PM | #4 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MS
Posts: 638
| Bella and Tillie came from the breeder water bottle trained *they were 2.5yrs. I keep a bowl down for them, but have considered getting a glass bottle and making a stand for it. (if you search this site, you'll find pics of stands some YTers have made ) I like the idea of the neaterfeeder Doodlebug posted. Maybe try putting Lulu's water bowl on a stand (on top of another upside down bowl??? or something) to see if the bowl being higher would prevent her from putting her paws in it.
__________________ Tracy Tillie & Bella Tanna DD DS DH |
11-25-2011, 06:24 PM | #5 |
Katie Scarlett's Mommy Donating Member | Katie Scarlett had a habit of tipping over her water bowl when we first go her as well. We had it down on a placemat. I removed the placemat and now she does not tip it over. Why on earth she doesn't tip it over when it's not on the placemat is beyond me! LOL. They are so funny in there ways.
__________________ Aymee & Katie Scarlett |
11-25-2011, 07:04 PM | #6 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada
Posts: 129
| Lu is just under 3.5 lbs and only 8" at the shoulder and so it will be tricky to put together something high enough to keep her foot off of the bowl and yet short enough that she can still drink out of it, but I will give it a try or try some other sort of stand like the neat feeder. I forgot one other little detail, Lu also has a wierd habit of only drinking from the opposite side of her bowl. I will give some of these suggestions a try though and see how it goes. Anything is worth a try at this point. I saw a really nice water bottle stand on the Mr. Foo site. My husband has said he could make one pretty much the same if we decide to go that route. On the Mr. Foo site they say they use a 32 oz Lixit water bottle with a large nozzle. I have seen nozzles on water bottles that are 5/16" and 7/16" that are supposed to be for small dogs. I have heard that people with Maltese in show coat as well as Persian cat owners have found using water bottles helpful for keeping the beard area and face clean but I don't know anyone personally only things I have read. So I've been leary to jump on the band wagon without some serious studying first. Pretty much at this point I am open to ideas and would also like to hear from anyone who has chosen to use a water bottle as their dog's source of water. Thanks so much for the input thus far. |
11-25-2011, 07:09 PM | #7 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: MS
Posts: 638
| I had the placemat issue too with our previous yorkie. Didn't think to ask earlier... what color is her water bowl... I've read other YTers talking about how that can be an issue???
__________________ Tracy Tillie & Bella Tanna DD DS DH |
11-25-2011, 07:23 PM | #8 | |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada
Posts: 129
| Quote:
Do you happen to know what types or colors of bowls people have had success with or what types or colors of bowls people have had problems with? I have been also looking at some custom ceramic bowls that I could have what ever color I want. Changing Lu's bowls again is certainly an option. Last edited by imdll; 11-25-2011 at 07:25 PM. | |
11-25-2011, 08:54 PM | #9 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: CA,USA
Posts: 1,623
| All my dogs use water bottles, I have them in several rooms in my house. They are all in stands made by paws creations. I love them, there faces are always dry and the water is keep clean. With several dogs sharing bowls the water is always kind of gross. Would you want to drink it after your brother or sister played in it, yuck. I know mine are spoiled rotten, but that's ok with me. I think clean water is important. |
11-25-2011, 10:00 PM | #10 | |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada
Posts: 129
| Quote:
What brand bottles have you been using? I have seen several different water bottles and a couple of different nozzle sizes that are supposed to be for dogs. I thought maybe a 32 oz water bottle and either a 5/16" or 7/16" nozzle. Do you know what size nozzle is on the bottles your dogs use? | |
11-25-2011, 11:50 PM | #11 |
Between♥Suspensions Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Vaissades
Posts: 7,979
| I have to use one fo rmy miniature schnauzer. Many people are unaware you are actually supposed to use them for miniature schnauzers as their double coat and thick beard not only beef stains due to slight bacterial build up but they can get severe yeast infections due to wetness on the beard. I was surprised to find Elvis actually prefers the water bottle. Water bottles also help with my mini schnauzer's reflux... Now, good luck finding one that doesn't drip though. I have bought really expensive ones, and really cheap ones at some point they all drip...but the trade off is they work and work well. I've only noticed a water intake difference in that my mini schnauzer will severely gulp water from a bowl and then burp loudly as opposed to moderating her intake into smaller interval from the bottle. Many people also use the spout attachments for the yard they attack to your outside spot where the hose would attack-they are for hotter climates so the water doesn't get warm or get parasites in it when dogs are in the back yard-all dogs can drink from bottle or spout attachments. Oh! and you can get the bottle ice cube trays for the freezer so you can put ice cubes in the bottle and it will melt through out the day if your dog drinks in excess at times. IDogs are smart as long as they can get to the bottle they will lick it and figure it out-Scoobers is not the brightest of all stars in the sky...he tries to chew and lick the bottle so I leave him a bowl...
__________________ Shan & 8 kids now! |
11-26-2011, 06:25 AM | #12 | |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Chessington, Surrey, UK
Posts: 5,062
| Quote:
When we first got Harry, we gave him a stainless steel bowl to drink from - and he just wouldn't! I eventually figured that he could kind of see himself in the bottom of it I then changed to a ceramic bowl that had pictures of tiny bones on the inside (stupid me!) and he used to just shove his nose in there - but not really drink! I then realised that these little bones were exactly the same shape and size as his treats aaargh!! So then I got him a plain old brown ceramic one - and hey presto!! He now drinks like other dogs do woo hoo! Sally + Harry x | |
11-26-2011, 06:47 AM | #13 |
Jada + Bogie = ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mayberry AKA smalltown usa
Posts: 24,078
| I have used a water bottle for about 2 years now. I have never noticed them not drinking enough. Between the two of them they average about 8 ozs of water a day, sometimes more if it is warmer in the house. It sure does cut down on the wet facial hair. They both took to the bottle rather quickly. When we first started using a water bottle, I put just a tiny dab of peanut butter on the end of the spout, worked like a charm. I agree it is hard to find a water bottle that does not leak or drip. The best one I have found so far and it is the cheapest is lixit brand and I use this one. Lixit Quick Lock Flip Top Water Tank at PETCO It comes apart easily for cleaning and the wide flip top makes it easy to fill. It has a gasket in the spout assembly like a water hose gasket which helps with leaking.
__________________ Michelle, Jada and Bogie |
11-26-2011, 07:32 AM | #14 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada
Posts: 129
| Does anyone know what size of nozzle is on the water bottles they use? I haven't been able to find Lixit bottles where we live. There are a few other brands but I would like to make sure that the nozzle is a good size that will work. I think I have found one with about a 5/16th" nozzle and it seems to me that size was listed in the Lixit info as a size that could be used for small dogs. I know there is a 7/16" nozzle on one of the Lixit water bottles I could order online but if the bottle is eventually going to fail and start dripping I think being able to get something locally might be handier. If 7/16" would be a better size though then I will just order online. Ok. that is too funny about the little dog seeing his reflection in his bowl and then later trying to get his "treat" from the bottom of the bowl! It makes sense he would do that but if you didn't take the time to try and figure it out then it would have just seemed like quirky behavior. Poor little guy probably wondered what the heck? That does make me wonder if maybe it's the stainless steel though with Lu. I can just remove the stainless steel insert for her bowl and see if anything changes. It's worth a shot. My husband and I have wondered if Lulu could be a little OCD. We have joked about it but also wondered about it seriously as well. It kind of makes sense that animals could have some "wiring issues" or chemical imbalances just like people can. Lu used to paw at her water bowl a little bit but now she is doing it tons! So my other thought about the water bottle thing was that maybe if we remove the water bowl then we wouldn't be feeding the need to repeatedly paw at her bowl? Is that a crazy notion? I realize that dogs, like people, have their little quirks but this "quirk" seems to be getting worse. That is interesting about Schnauzers and water bottles. Completely makes sense. After owning a Giant Schnauzer I can see where a water bottle might have been handy for keeping his face cleaner. I have never heard that before though. Wish I had. Oh and thank you jadabug for the water bottle suggestion. I will see if I can find that one. There are so many different brands and styles it's good to know about the ones people have had sucess with. Last edited by imdll; 11-26-2011 at 07:37 AM. |
11-26-2011, 07:56 AM | #15 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY
Posts: 6,582
| Water bowls fill up with bacteria quickly and just rinsing the bowl does not get rid of it. Dogs usually want fresh water. I think that a glass bottle that lets out the right amount of water is be a good idea as the water is kept clean and fresh. I drink purified water from a bottle and Gracie started wanting bottled water, too. So now she drinks out of a bottle and loves it. I have had dogs and cats that try to move the water bowl to get the water swirling around before they drink. I think they are trying to get the slime that sits on top of the water off. Dog's mouths are slimy and it gets in the water. No getting around that. |
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