Healthy pets are often efficient at monitoring and managing their daily water intake, but this isn’t the case for young pups and senior dogs. Unless your furry companion goes through minor or severe health conditions, they might consume less or more water. But whatever the reason for your dog’s lack of interest in water, there are numerous methods to trick them into taking enough water. So let’s discuss how you can make your unwilling pet take in more water.
How to Make an Unwilling Dog Drink Water
Maybe your dog is elderly, young, ill, or in a place with an unknown water source that’s keeping them from consuming sufficient water for their age and size. However, you won’t have to worry anymore as the five tips we have collected below to make your dog drink water must efficiently help you.
1. Feed them wet dog food
Aside from wet canned foods, adding water to pet food, such as kibbles, homemade, or commercial raw food, helps ensure your loyal friend gets enough water daily.
Are you going on a getaway or business trip but can’t take your pet with you? You might consider leaving them in the hands of doggy daycare centers to ensure they’re safe and well taken care of when you return.
2. Ensure the water is clean and fresh
Dogs can put horrible things in their mouth, but you may be surprised that they’re fussy with the water they’ll drink. People would never want to drink unclean or dusty water, and the same for dogs. Even if the water does not look muddy on the surface, pet dogs can taste it and know if it’s days old. Changing the water every day may solve this problem.
If your pet got recently injured from a severe or minor accident, it might benefit from vet laser therapy. Pet laser treatment can reduce inflammation and alleviate discomfort, so your furry companion can recuperate quicker and return to full health in no time. You may browse the web for more info on the benefits of vet laser therapy.
3. Give them ice cubes
Like people, dogs find cold water more enticing than room temperature water, primarily in summer seasons, so plopping a couple of ice cubes into their water might tempt them into drinking more. Moreover, you can give away ice cubes as treats. Not only will they have something to chew on, but they’ll also get hydrated simultaneously.
Making flavored ice can make it more intriguing for your dog. It can be a frozen broth, a mixture of water and peanut butter, blueberries, watermelons, and other more dog-safe fruits. To make your dog more comfortable when they look filthy or throughout the summer, taking them to centers that offer professional dog grooming services can make them feel fresh and prevent parasites and specific health conditions.
4. Add flavorings to the water
One way to be creative in making your pet drink water is by adding flavor to their drinking water. Adding bone broth, low-sodium beef broth, or chicken broth (without the onions) to the plain water can tempt your pet to drink more and even indulge in doing it.
5. Give more water bowls
Pooches may not consume water if they know there’s only one water bowl in an entire home. They might think that going to a particular place to drink water may not be worthwhile. So keeping water bowls outdoors, in your bedroom, living room, and anywhere else your pet hangs out may eliminate this issue.