Ice is a good idea sometimes, letting the dog lick it. Using a syringe as well. I have tried those two in the past, thinking my girl wasn't drinking enough water.
I found the odd time that she didn't drink any water at all through out a whole day.
Well I found the perfect cure.
It started when she was younger. We would play outside. I had water dish full of fresh water nearby, along the course of our play. I would toss her favorite toy and she would bring it back for her favorite treat, waiting for her toy to get tossed again.
After three or four tosses, I'd say okay, lets drink. Off to the water dish we would go and she would drink before more play time.
Well, now adays, we are not outside tossing toys around because it is winter and wet. We play inside more. Usually we have play sessions a few times a day anyway. I get her running and jumping and then I tell her okay drink and she iwll go to her water dish and take a nice long drink.
I find that the exercise while playing, fetching her toys, having cookies and playing a short game of tug encourages her to drink, basically because it makes her thirty when she exerts energy.
Plus she has lots of fun and is more bonding bonus for us.
Oh sometimes she thinks she doesn't want to drink so I go with her to her dish of water and put my finger in it and to her mouth. She licks it off and then I encourage her to drink on her own. Usually she will. If not, we play more. I get her skineez squirrel and sit on my legs on the floor, turning the squirrel around my body so she can chase it. After a few rounds she just stops to drink on her own.
Exertion is the trick I think, to encourage your dog to drink more water.
Lastly, I always have a dish of water for her outside, in a plastic container, especially since it is winter. Wouldn't want her tongue to stick to the side of a frozen metal dish, right?
Well went we are out for potty, she passes the outside water dish on her way back into the house. More often than not she will stop and take a nice long drink.
Makes me happy because I was worried for her when I first noticed she wasn't drinking what I thought was enough water.
She isn't to hip on the syringe and ice is only of interest on the hottest of summer days, so it seems.
More play time may help. Vigorous play time. So the dog actually pants a bit. Then the dog will most likely drink. |