When it comes to our pets, we want them to live a life full of energy and happiness. But the main ingredient for this is their physical well-being. The amount of water they intake each day will determine how healthy they are. And to make sure that they drink enough water everyday, you need to know how to encourage your pet to drink more water.
A hydrated dog is a happy dog! However, many dogs do not like drinking water; one reason could be its taste, or their bowl is too dirty, so they refuse to get near it. If your pet does not show much interest in drinking water, try adding flavors that might attract your pet and make it more willing to drink water, or try using PetSafe products to train your dog. Different pets have different preferences. While some prefer to add chicken or beef broth, others may like adding parsley, rhubarb, or celery leaves.
Here are some tips to encourage your pet to drink water;
Avoid table scraps
Although you may think it’s okay (or even preferred) to give your pets some of the food you eat, it is actually not recommended. It is not because there is anything wrong with the idea itself. It’s just that they won’t drink as much water as they will if their meals are dry. Since this means you are giving them more than what they need to survive daily, this affects their overall health and can lead to obesity and other problems.
Feed your dog kibble
Rather than feeding them table scraps or leftovers from your meals, stick to giving them only dry kibble. It is good for ensuring your pet always has enough water in their system (they will drink more just out of instinct). It also helps ensure they don’t gain weight quickly. If you feed them a dry kibble diet, they will be forced to maintain a healthy weight and won’t desire to overeat.
Use moist food as an occasional treat
Although it’s recommended that your pet eats dry kibble exclusively, there are certain circumstances where you should consider giving them moist processed food. The best time for this is when their health takes a downturn, and you need to boost their appetite. In other words, use this type of food sparingly and only if necessary. It’s not something you want to use for every day purposes because it can lead to obesity or other problems later on.
Avoid leaving water down all the time
Another common mistake pet owners make leaving a bowl of water out for their dog all the time. Although this might seem like a good idea, it is not. These animals evolved not needing to drink water frequently because of the dry kibble they would eat. If you want them to stay hydrated, give them access to fresh drinking water at specific intervals during the day.
Stick with one type of bowl
To make it easier for your pet to get access to their drinking water, buy one type of bowl and keep it in the exact location every day. This way, your dog will learn where to find their new source of hydration before going outside or doing anything else that makes them thirsty.
Keep fresh water available at all times
Although you may think it’s a good idea to have one bowl of water available all the time, this will not help your pet stay hydrated. To ensure your dog never become dehydrated, you should have two or three bowls available at any given point in the day so they can drink as much as needed anytime.
Heat the water
If your pet is not so keen on drinking water, heating the water might be another option to try, making the water more attractive for them. However, do remember not to let it get too hot as this can burn their tongue and scald the dog’s mouth. Also, bear in mind that what you feel may very well be lukewarm or even desirable for your furry friend. So place a few drops of food coloring into the bowl to know if its temperature is right for your pet’s consumption.
Ensure freshness and cleanliness
Finally, you need to make sure that your pet’s water is always fresh and clean. If not, there’s a chance that they won’t drink from it because it doesn’t taste great or has something else wrong with it. To avoid problems like these, always change out their drinking water every six hours (at least). It might be inconvenient but worth doing if you don’t want to deal with obesity or other health issues.
Wrapping Up!
You now have seven ways to encourage your pet to drink more water, so they remain healthy and hydrated. The key is feeding them a diet of moist food only on occasion and sticking with the dry kibble for their primary meals. If you do this, you can be confident that your dog will continue drinking enough water throughout the day without any problems.
