5 Reasons why your dog won’t drink water
Sometimes our dear pets refuse to drink water due to the following reasons:
Letâs have a closer look at these reasons.
Unfamiliar places
Unfamiliar places and smells can be the reason why your dog doesn’t drink. And thanks to their acute sense of smell, dogs know how to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar sources of water. However if the smell of the water is not recognized as familiar, your dog may simply refuse to drink it. Planning a trip somewhere new? Here is what you should take care of:
10 Easy Tips To Encourage A Dog To Drink Water
No matter how old your dog is or even if he is deaf, teach your dog a word associated with water. For us, the magic word is “drink.” Every time your dog takes a drink of water, say “drink” a few times in a super happy, pleasant voice the way you would if rewarding your dog for a job well done.
When your dog comes into contact with the clean water bowl, say “drink” and maybe even lightly clap. It’s a mini party that your dog knows “drink.”
When my Cocker Spaniel was a puppy, he would saunter over to his water bowl, start drinking, and without scaring or startling him we would say, “drink, Dexter,” or “good boy, drink Dexter.” When he was done, we would say drink again.
If you have a deaf dog, hand signals are the way to go. Here’s what the folks at Deaf Dogs Rock have to say about teaching a deaf dog hand signals. When you see your deaf dog take a drink because you nonverbally instructed him to do so, the effort is so rewarding.
In the same way you taught your dog other words, like sit, stay, food, play, etc., you will teach drink. It’s all about the association of the act with the verbal word. He drinks, you say drink.
Keep the water bowl clean by scrubbing it with warm, soapy water daily. I use the Scrub Daddy scratch-free sponges ever since I saw them on Shark Tank and love them! You don’t want that nasty slime building up around your dog’s water bowls.
That nasty slime around your dog’s water bowl is called biofilm and is a thin layer of bacteria that adheres to the perimeter of your dog’s bowl unless cleaned.
4 Reasons Why Your Dog Has Stopped Drinking Water
Why won’t my dog drink water is something pet parents may worry about from time to time. Water is the basic foundation of life, so if your dog refuses to drink, you must figure out the reason why. Thankfully, in 30+ years of being a dog mom, I’ve learned some simple hacks and tips to encourage dogs to consume more water.
Fortunately, there are many techniques and tips to keep a dog hydrated if he won’t drink water, but if your dog refuses to drink overall, call your veterinarian. This article is designed to get your dog to drink more water along with tips to ensure dogs are well hydrated at home and on the go.
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