General Question Water served by squirt bottle?

[minibull]

Has anyone found that their bully drinks much more eagerly from a squirt bottle than from the bowl? We discovered that this weekend for our dog. Even with dry tongue and warm dry nose she refused fresh water in a bowl but eagerly drank the squirt bottle water when we were out walking. Same thing again later at home. Am I doomed to bottle-feed this girl for the rest of her life? She is already such a princess in other ways!

Is there anything I can do to get her more interested in drinking when she is clearly dehydrated?

Since we adopted 3-year old Buttercup she drinks from her water bowl only 1-2 times per day, some days amounting to less than a cup of water. She also often regurgitates some of what she drinks although this has greatly lessened since we elevated her water bowl. We also switched to a ceramic bowl, give filtered water, and change her water after every time she drinks. None of this changed her drinking habits.

She does urinate regularly throughout the day but drinks well under the suggested 15-30 mL per lb of body weight suggested by vets.

 

[nycbullymama]

You can try putting adding little chicken or beef broth in her water (home made would be best). I know that's worked for Blue.

 

[cali baker]

Funny, mine do not like the squirt bottle at all and are actually afraid of that when i have tried using in the past for hikes and walks. Sometimes I will give Tate ice cubes on the ride home from a walk if he hasn't drank enough water. You could give that a try.

 

[nycbullymama]

You know what I've seen? A pittie drinking out of a large baby bottle. It was the cutest thing. I spoke with her owner and he said he can't go anywhere without the baby bottle, that's the only way she'll drink water.

 

[dolphin]

Buster hates squirt bottles, those and the iron and the ironing board and trash bags are all the spawn of satan and he lets you know it.

 

[2BullyMama]

does she seem dehydrated at all? some pups just do not need to drink that much... as long as it is readily available, and she is not dehydrated, I would not be too concerned. The water bottle she may see as a toy or she just likes it. Banks will drink for a water bottle or hose till she burst, but her water bowl is only after she eats

 

[Marine91]

Harlea will drink from anything. We have a waterfall waterdish and all of our animals love it and play in it. It can be messy and has to be cleaned alot but sometbing about it entices them to drink. If you are worried about water in take you can also wet her food at each meal.

 

[minibull]

does she seem dehydrated at all? some pups just do not need to drink that much... as long as it is readily available, and she is not dehydrated, I would not be too concerned. The water bottle she may see as a toy or she just likes it. Banks will drink for a water bottle or hose till she burst, but her water bowl is only after she eats

Yes, she does sometimes seem dehydrated (dry cracked tongue + warm wet nose). Some days she doesn't take a drink before 7 p.m.

She doesn't want the bottle at first but as soon as I dribble a little on her tongue she actively continues to lap the water then seeks the bottle if I take it away before she has had enough. I've tried just putting a little water from her bowl on her tongue with my clean fingers and she licks it up but does not pursue the bowl.

Maybe we will try the waterfall as Marine91 suggested. She didn't like water in her old kibble (I think it may have diluted the food's flavor) but adores her new V-dog kibble so maybe she will take some water in that.

 

[2BullyMama]

Wonder if you used a hanging water bottle in the crate if that might work for her

 

[minibull]

Wonder if you used a hanging water bottle in the crate if that might work for her

Funny you should say that as the way she drinks from the squirt bottle reminds me of how pet gerbils and mice drink from theirs in their cage. I will look to see if these are available for dogs tho' am not sure Buttercup would think to pursue water without prompting.

 

[2BullyMama]

Funny you should say that as the way she drinks from the squirt bottle reminds me of how pet gerbils and mice drink from theirs in their cage. I will look to see if these are available for dogs tho' am not sure Buttercup would think to pursue water without prompting.

i think [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] uses them when traveling... I think they are the same bottles used for rabbit cages

 

[Goob14]

Has anyone found that their bully drinks much more eagerly from a squirt bottle than from the bowl? We discovered that this weekend for our dog. Even with dry tongue and warm dry nose she refused fresh water in a bowl but eagerly drank the squirt bottle water when we were out walking. Same thing again later at home. Am I doomed to bottle-feed this girl for the rest of her life? She is already such a princess in other ways!

Is there anything I can do to get her more interested in drinking when she is clearly dehydrated?

Since we adopted 3-year old Buttercup she drinks from her water bowl only 1-2 times per day, some days amounting to less than a cup of water. She also often regurgitates some of what she drinks although this has greatly lessened since we elevated her water bowl. We also switched to a ceramic bowl, give filtered water, and change her water after every time she drinks. None of this changed her drinking habits.

She does urinate regularly throughout the day but drinks well under the suggested 15-30 mL per lb of body weight suggested by vets.

When Goob was a little younger, we had him crate trained...(we lived with my parents and their...not so nice dog and didnt want any problems). He loved his crate and we hung a lix-it bottle in there. I'm not sure of the exact name but its its exactly the same thing as you would put in a hamster cage...just MUCH bigger! We found ours at petco. They also have the lix-it bottles to have when you walk her. I usually keep his bottle in the fridge. Goob LOVES ice water and on hot days, he likes his chilled bottle.

Is there a place in your house you could hang a lix-it bottle for her in addition to her water bowl? Here are some examples of the products we used with Goob:

Lixit Top Fill No Drip Plastic Water Bottle for Dogs at PETCO

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...ei=M9tOVI-yC7LLsASVtYDYDQ&ved=0CMABEKYrMAM4PA

 

[Davidh]

We use a spray bottle at shows, and Lixit bottles in all the crates. Actually it's a different brand than Lixit, but the same thing.

 

[minibull]

...Is there a place in your house you could hang a lix-it bottle for her in addition to her water bowl? Here are some examples of the products we used with Goob:...

Yes, we can definitely find a place! Will be less messy than the squirt bottle. :-) Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Will let you know how it goes once we get it all set up.