My puppy, Tom, was very active. After a few weeks of being born, he would run around in the house and cause havoc. It made me wonder what if he is thirsty and needs water. So, Should I Leave Water Out For My Puppy All Day? If you have similar questions, this article is for you!
In this article, we will cover:
- Should I Leave Water Out For My Puppy All Day?
- Should I Leave Water Out For My Puppy At Night?
- And more…
Should I Leave Water Out For My Puppy All Day?
Leaving water out for your puppy all day is recommended if you clean their water bowl thoroughly once every 24-48 hours and change the water twice a day to prevent your puppies from getting any bacterial infection.
According to the Animal Kennel Club, dehydration in dogs means that the dog is losing more fluid than it is taking in. It happens when the dogs do not have proper access to water at home. Generally, dogs lose water in day-to-day activities like urinating, defecating, exhalation of breath and sweating.
To make up for this loss, proper food and water intake are of utmost necessity. Otherwise, your dogs can have a reduced supply of oxygen to other body organs. In the most severe cases, it can lead to kidney failures as well.
The problem is more grave in puppies. Since puppies are young, their body mass is lesser than an adult dog. However, they are very energetic and active at this stage of life. Thus, this makes them more prone to dehydration as they lose water through exhalation and panting while playing.
It is more of an issue for puppies living in hot climate areas. Therefore, it is necessary to keep a watch on your puppies to feed them an adequate amount of water. So, putting water out for your puppy all day is advisable.
Leaving water out for your puppy at night would disturb their sleep and cause an unwanted mess in the house. How? Let’s find out!
Should I Leave Water Out For My Puppy at Night?
If your puppy wakes up in the middle of the night to drink water, there are chances that it will hit itself with furniture and other things kept in the house. So, they might injure themselves or cause accidents.
Also, since puppies cannot hold pee for a longer duration, they will pee anywhere in the house. So, you will have a mess to clean first thing in the morning.
However, there are a few exceptions to this general rule. Some puppies with illnesses like kidney disease, Addison’s disease, and diabetes require more water than others. In this case, it is typically vital to keep a little water for them at night.
So, if you are keeping water at night for your puppies for the above reasons, take safety precautions so that your pup is safe from accidents.
This involves keeping the water bowl near your pup’s bed and making a designated place for it to pee. In addition, keep the lights switched on so that your pup can see clearly.
When To Cut Off Water For Puppies?
A lot of times, it is equally essential to cut off your puppies’ constant water access as well. These reasons include health, potty training, and cleanliness. Let us see these reasons in detail below:
1. When Puppy Has Medical Procedures
When puppies are a few weeks old, most pet parents get them spayed or neutered to prevent aggressive behavior in adolescence.
In addition to this, some puppies also require surgeries for medical conditions they might suffer from.
Since most of these surgeries require pups to have an empty stomach and bladder, you must ask the veterinarian about when you need to stop their water intake.
2. When You Are Traveling With Your Pup
When you are carrying your puppies to some other location, you might generally use crates, kennels, or carriers for your furry companions. If you are looking for a crate, Zampa Dog Crate is perfect for small puppies.
While giving water to your puppy is safe in a crate, they restrict the mobility of your puppies. For this reason, puppies can easily spill water everywhere in the carrier.
Not only will this create a huge mess for you, but it will be uncomfortable for your puppies too. They will have to sit in the wet area for the entire journey. This water will then easily get contaminated with dust, dirt, and body fur of your puppy.
3. When You Are Potty Training Your Pup
Potty training your puppies tells the pup where to defecate and urinate and when to do it. For pet parents, it is a way of learning their puppies’ cues to pee.
During the training, keep the water away from your pups during the night and evening. Just give them a limited amount of water so that they can have a good night’s sleep without any interruptions for a pee or potty breaks.
Over time, your puppies will get habitual to this routine. Finally, both you and your pet puppies will be able to relax easily.
How Often Should I Change The Water In My Puppy’s Bowl?
Unfortunately, if you leave water out for your puppy all day, the bowls can soon become a breeding ground for bacteria if you don’t clean them regularly and replace the water at regular time intervals.
Microorganisms in your puppy’s saliva are typically to blame for this alteration, as they are transported to their water dish each time they drink, causing bacteria to grow.
To avoid this, make sure to replace the water in their bowls at least once a day. However, we would recommend you change the water twice a day. Additionally, each time you do this, make sure to properly clean the bowl with soap and warm water.
Although some parents may consider this excessive, puppies can become sick very fast if they are exposed to contaminated water as they are not fully developed yet.
Also, if you are living in cold regions, make sure that the water does not freeze if the bowl is kept outside. You can do this by putting a microwavable heat disc under the bowl. Snuggle Safe Microwavable Heat Pad is our recommendation for you.
If you are looking for an easy solution, add a clean ping-pong ball to the water bowl. The ping-pong ball will create ripples in the water, thereby not letting the water settle. So, it won’t freeze in cold conditions.
How Much Water Should A Puppy Drink A Day?
Adult dogs need half an ounce to one ounce of water for every pound of body weight per day.
It means a dog weighing 80 pounds would require 40-80 ounces of water in a day.
According to the Animal Kennel Club, older puppies also require the same amount of water intake daily.
However, young puppies drink more water than adult dogs or older puppies. They need one and a half cups of water every two hours. It generally depends on other factors such as:
1. Activity Level
You can define your dog’s activity level in three categories- low activity level, moderate activity level, and high activity level. It keeps on changing every day.
If your dog has been particularly active today, it will need more water as it has lost more water or vice-versa.
2. Medical Conditions
Some puppies and older dogs have medical conditions like renal disease and diabetes. Such dogs tend to require more water as compared to others.
In this scenario, it is best to consult your veterinarian and follow their advice regarding water intake.
3. Hot Temperatures
Generally, dogs living in hot and humid places need more water in comparison to their counterparts in cold regions.
Just like humans, dogs lose water and become thirsty easily on hot days. Thus, they drink more water or consume high-moisture diets to replenish the lost water in their body.
4. Diet
Dogs who eat wet food or canned food do not require more water intake as a part of their water needs are met with the high moisture in the wet food.
On the other hand, dogs on a kibble diet require nearly thrice the amount of water than dogs on wet foods as their water needs are unmet.
Also Read: A Guide To Getting Your Dog’s Diet Right
So, how do you calculate the right amount of water for your puppy considering these factors?
The Dog Water Intake calculator is the answer. The dog water intake calculator calculates the right amount of water for your dog based on their weight, activity level, diet, and other factors.
You can easily find these calculators online. All you have to do is put in basic information; you will get the desired results in no time! This calculator here might help you out.
What Is A Good Puppy Water Schedule To Follow?
Make sure your puppy drinks water at least two hours before its bedtime. After that, take away the water bowl from their access. Before going to bed, take your puppy to defecate or urinate.
The following morning, take your puppy to urinate and defecate again. Once done, place a clean bowl with fresh water for them. Now, you can keep this bowl for the entire day for them to access water.
Can My Puppy Drink Too Much Water?
It might sound surprising but overhydration in puppies can also happen if they drink too much water. Overhydration, also known as water intoxication can also happen if your puppy drinks water when playing in water bodies or swimming pools.
Excess water in the body causes a drop in the sodium levels. As a result, the cells in the body begin to swell. While many organs can cope with these changes, the brains of your puppies cannot. If you do not take the action immediately, your puppy is at the risk of developing seizures and slipping into a coma. So, whenever you see the following signs, take your puppy to the vet without any delay:
- Lack of coordination
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive bloating
- Vomiting
- Pale gums
- Continuous drooling
- And, dilated pupils.
To avoid this, make sure your puppy does not drink too much water by following these steps:
- Keep limited water in the water bowl.
- Keep a watch on your puppy as it drinks the water as and when possible.
- You can also add ice cubes to your puppies water bowl before filling it with water. When your puppy is thirsty, it will lick the ice cubes first. As a result, the water cubes will cool it down and your puppy will drink less water than intended.
How Long Can A Puppy Go Without Water In A Day?
Most puppies can go without water for 8 hours at night. Apart from this, puppies should not be left without water for long. But, this is again governed by a lot of other factors like age, diet, medical conditions, and water consumption during the day.
Generally puppies who are under 12 weeks of age have small bladders and cannot hold pee. So, even though you take them for peeing just before sleep, they will still wake up for bathroom breaks in the middle of the night.
Once your puppy grows older, you will see that they do not wake up in the middle of the night like they used to.
Does Leaving Out Water For My Puppy Hamper Potty Training?
No, leaving out water for your puppy will not hamper their potty training as long as they are taking the right amount of water.
Generally, dogs exhibiting resource guarding behaviors such as growling or biting over food or water is becoming very common. This possessive behavior can also affect puppies of every kind too.
So, if you try to restrict the water intake of your puppy during potty training, your puppy will become aggressive and show resource guarding.
So, do not try to stop your dog from drinking water as it will do both of you more harm than good.
Also Read: How Many Days Can A Dog Go Without Pooping?
