skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
Withholding water - what's the thinking behind that?
Crate training
- Thread starter Flowerofthefen
- Start date
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
Tbf I’m unlikely to want to feed the dogs after midnight! I expect it depends what time they do the surgeries in the practice? Mine is after morning clinic.
FestiveG
Over the hill and far awa
If the dog is left at night for the average 8 hours, then removing the water 2 or 3 hours before, means the dog goes without water for 10 or 11 hours, much too long imo. I also don't understand why water is removed hours before?
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
So they don’t play in the bowl and drench the bed?
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I hope I’m only saying what I do, not slamming others for their choices! I’m sure we all aim to have healthy pups at the end of the day.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Absolutely, and likewise. Trends in dog keeping and training evolve all the time anyway. I know I have a much more laissez faire attitude to both my horses and dogs than a lot of people, but they're all a joy to have around, exhibit lots of self expression, and people fairly frequently comment on how easy they are, so I'll take that.
Teaselmeg
Well-Known Member
So as well as being unfair to withhold water overnight, it can also create behaviour issues ( resource guarding water/ over drinking when access is given). There will be lots of people who say its ok and their dog was fine, but it's really not ok to withhold water for convenience.
Christmascinnamoncookie
Fais pas chier!
When we went up north over summer and my cousin saw the two crates with bowls attached to the at puppy head height, she was amazed! She has a goldendoodle who is crated, he’s a five months older than mine and had been putting his bowl on the floor of the cage and it was often wet in there.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
Seriously? You must deal with some very damaged dogs. None of mine have ever ended up with any issues with drinking.
I think perhaps everyone is overthinking this issue.
CorvusCorax
'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
Some dogs **do** just 'stupid drink' and like splashing about in water and scooting their bowls.
There are fixed bowls and Road Refreshers for that...
But as I said, I leave enough in overnight so that if the dog is thirsty, they can have a small drink.
I do not however leave so much in as that their bladder will be full and they will be uncomfortable holding it.
If a dog needs to be drinking whole bowls of water in the middle of the night then either I have done something wrong in the day, or it is ill.
In the way I keep my dogs, I'm also able to keep an eye on who is drinking what volume during the day or night.
My old trainer actually used to observe how dogs drank and would make judgements on their character. We used to laugh at him saying 'that dog can't drink water properly' but he was rarely wrong ?
There are fixed bowls and Road Refreshers for that...
But as I said, I leave enough in overnight so that if the dog is thirsty, they can have a small drink.
I do not however leave so much in as that their bladder will be full and they will be uncomfortable holding it.
If a dog needs to be drinking whole bowls of water in the middle of the night then either I have done something wrong in the day, or it is ill.
In the way I keep my dogs, I'm also able to keep an eye on who is drinking what volume during the day or night.
My old trainer actually used to observe how dogs drank and would make judgements on their character. We used to laugh at him saying 'that dog can't drink water properly' but he was rarely wrong ?
Teaselmeg
Well-Known Member
They are well known potential issues associated with withholding water. There is also the ethics of making an animal live without water for part of it's day, but I think the OP's thread has diverted off topic enough.
Pearlsacarolsinger
Up in the clouds
We used to have a lovely but rather small Rottweiler who had been kept fastened to a radiator after leaving the breeder, with some food and water provided. I'm sure the owner would have said that she was fine. However for the rest of her life and we had her until she was 9, she was anxious about water. She didn't guard it but if she found the dish haD been emptied, she scrabbled in it until more was provided. She didn't guard food but she did guard toys, mostly by sitting on them all.
We have earthenware 'spaniel' water bowls that dont tip up in our crates
malwhit
Well-Known Member
I usually spend the first few nights downstairs when I get a puppy. She is normally popped in a crate and I bring my duvet downstairs.
After a few days, I normally relent and take the puppy and crate upstairs with the other dogs. I take her out overnight whether she needs to go or not. After a few nights the puppy ends up on the bed with my other dog(s). If I feel her getting restless, I rush downstairs carrying her. Within a few days, the pup sleeps overnight on my bed, normally waking up around 6am?
Then it's a mad dash downstairs.
After a few days, I normally relent and take the puppy and crate upstairs with the other dogs. I take her out overnight whether she needs to go or not. After a few nights the puppy ends up on the bed with my other dog(s). If I feel her getting restless, I rush downstairs carrying her. Within a few days, the pup sleeps overnight on my bed, normally waking up around 6am?
Then it's a mad dash downstairs.
Flowerofthefen
Well-Known Member
Night 3. Getting better and better. I did what one poster recommended and stuck my fingers through the bars when she was crying. It worked a treat and she settled pretty much straight away and I was able to sleep on the sette and not the floor. Pee and poo at 3.30am then settled pretty much straight away with my fingers through the bars. Getting there!!