Hi - thanks for the welcome!
Picking up the water was actually the recommendation of the very excellent breeder, each of the 2 vets that I've seen so far for shots, and Buddy's day care providers - as well as lots of the books about training your puppy! He has been just fine without water in the evenings, we've been doing this a few weeks now - and he doesn't have accidents. If he's particularly active in the evening I give him some, of course. I certainly appreciate the concern.
Buddy gets tons of water all day long - he goes to Day Care in Emeryville -
http://www.everydog.com - and is in the special Puppy Program they have there. It has been a lifesaver, and so wonderful for Buddy's socialization.
On Tuesday we started Puppy Kindergarten at Sirius Puppy Training and he's the most social of the group - stopping to play with each puppy. He already knew how to sit and lie down from day care, which amazed me!
I'm following the Sirius Training by feeding him from his Puppy Kong - it does seem to stretch meal time out a bit, and give me some time to clean up the kitchen, change puppy pads, etc. I find it really hard to leave the kitchen while he's eating because he will then ignore his food and try to come with me, which for potty training purposes I won't let him do...so he'll start whining and crying and he gets himself so wrought up that I feel that it will damage him! There is no distracting him from my departure. It's very frustrating, but I honestly love having him with me wherever I go, so hopefully it won't take him long to become totally potty trained!
Sorry to go on and on!