Leaving water out vs. water only when feeding
 

Sorry, just one more question. But I've heard different advice for my four month old yorkie.

My vet and a trainer at pet smart said that giving him water only when he is fed (two or three times a day) - mainly to help potty train him. But in several other reading and online resources say to leave water out for him at all times.

Any thoughts?

I always leave fresh water out for mine even as puppies.

Franklin always has fresh water out, I think it's better for them to stay hydrated.

Yes I have always left water out too.

Same here:thumbup: :thumbup:

Zoey will not touch her water unless she is eating so for her it's not a biggie if I take it up or leave it down.

Just want to say hello and welcome :)

Lucy always has fresh water available...

Mine always have fresh water down, but they rarely drink outside of meal times.

we always leave water out. I think every dog especially puppies need water. just watch him/or her like a hawk and good luck

Me too!

I would worry to much WATER out all the time
 

That my vote. Can't even think of them not being able to drink when they wanted..

My doggies always have water available....they only tend to drink it if they're playing A LOT or they're eating.

While potty training I never left water out for Buddy when I was not home.
That would only set him up for failure because he would not be able to hold it during the day when I worked. I went home at lunch to give him water and a walk.
He now has water out 24/7 but not while he was being potty trained.
I monitored the water and took him out within 10mins of drinking.
He was fully trained by 5 1/2 mos.

I agree, water up when not home, while being potty trained. It does set them up for failure. I was told this by a dog behavioralist, I practiced it and Millie is 100% housebroken.

Here is a site explaining why it should be left down all the down (at least during the day):
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...=1&SourceID=47

Common sence has to be used when owning any pet. Who in their right
mind would leave a dog crated in a heated house with no water?
In reality water does not need to be put down all day when your not at
home IF you have given your pet water before leaving and coming home
to walk them at lunch time giving water and then at dinner time as well,
with water down until that last walk in the evening.
You can not potty train a dog to go out side if water is left for free drinking
during the day when no one is home. He will pee because he can not hold it.
If you want to pee pad train your pet or use belly bands than that's fine
but to train a dog to pee outdoors he can not have water when no one is home to monitor it or you will never get him trained.

We're using the bottles that hook on the crates. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

I just think it is best for their bodies to drink when they need to.
I also would not want to be thirsty and have to wait four hours...

I always leave water out. Even at night they have it. I would never take away water or food for that matter....

I can't imagine not leaving water out all the time - how sad.
I didn't withhold water from my children when I was potty trainig them, and I wouldn't do that to a dog either. If I was that concerned, I wouldn't have gotten the dog...

I have alway free fed and watered all my dogs. I would hate to think they were thirsty and couldn't tell me.:(

Everyone seems to be concentrating on one thing here. Taking water from
your pet.
That is not the intention of monitoring their intake until they are trained.
I, for one, would not live with a dog in my home that would pee or poop
where ever he pleased! You are truly doing your pet a favor by housebreaking
him. Every book that I read tells you how to monitor their intake of water
during this process. No one ever stated not to give them water.
If you want a dog that is well trained than patience and monitoring thier
intake of water is a must! When people say help he pees and poops all
over my house what do I do? Don't ask the question if you don't want to hear the answer! Well open a book and find out. Heavens knows
there's enough threads on this site on the subjuct as well.
There are hundreds of thousands of unwanted pets in shelters all over this
world because they can not be housebroken. Why, because people rather
complain than take the time to do it properly. A dog can not train itself.
The owner must put it on a schedule ( dogs love schedules) water must
be monitored. You can't put a pup in a crate with food and water or water
bottle hooked up to the create and not expect him to pee and poop where
he sleeps! He has no choice. You have set him up for failure.
I am not talking about a 9wk old pup. I am talking about a 3 month and up
pup. They should and can be housebroken by 5-6 mos if it is done properly.
This is my opinion. When I read some of the threads regarding a pet peeing
in the bed, on the carpet, on the furniture etc. I just can't believe what
is allowed to happen. It's not the pups fault it's the owner's!
Your pet will thank you for housebreaking him if you really want the challenge.

Good Luck with your puppy! The hard part will be over before you know it!!

I restricted water during the house training process, but I'm wondering was that a good idea. My 7.5 month puppy is house trained since 5 months, if you give her water on a schedule. She only eats one time per day by choice. But as I transition to leaving water out all the time, she is having accidents by the door. I am assuming, I need to start over i.e. watching her like a hawk until she learns to regulate the water she drinks.

Is there a good way to transition, for those who restricted water? Or is 7.5 months too early to transition?

I have a 4 month old yorkie as well, and I have always left him fresh water whenever I am home. I just bring him outside every 45 minutes to an hour so we don't have any accidents!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Very well put!

Thanks everyone for your input! I decided to monitor his drinking but let him drink every 2-3 hours and both before & after our walks. It's been working well so far! I work from home so this is possible for me.

I will also post elsewhere, but confining him more conservatively has also helped with the housebreaking. I work in a 12x13ft room and figured he can be in the room with me while I work, but he's become a speedy pee-er and has peed in random places without any warning (no sniffing!). So i used an X pen to confine him in one quarter of the room and that has helped tremendously...he was a bit upset at first since he's used to using the whole room, but after a whole day he's accepted it as his play area and has fun on his own as long as I am near :)

Thanks again!

hi
 

Thats what I was told to because otherwise she would be going potty all the time.

Monitored intake
 

We leave the water during feeding and during playtime, when his intake can be monitored.

I have always left water out for mine at all times