Curiousity- How long do you walk your dog for without offering water?

[Lintel]

Just out of curiousity as the above title says ...

Obviously factors such as heat etc would make a difference.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Not usually longer than one hour.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Lol I didn't read the title properly ?

 

[Smitty]

In the summer, 15 mins.

Winter, not at all.

 

[splashgirl45]

i walk by the river so they always have the option and when it is hot i offer them water when i get back to the car as well, they very rarely drink at the car and my journey is only 5 mins so they then have their water bowls at home if they want a drink.. i walk mine just under an hour for each walk..

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

In the woods, they can always find water-there are notable trees and a trough, plus some mysterious source.

 

[AmyMay]

I rarely carry water with me as I’m (more often than not) close to water sources. However, if I’m going for a good old yomp then water is offered at the end of the walk (again, as I’m rarely far from water).

 

[CorvusCorax]

Apologies for the completely out of context epistle, I was walking and browsing at the same time ?

I normally walk near rivers/lakes anyway or follow a water course of some description but if I'm going for a big walk I'll take a backpack with water in it.

 

[Honey08]

In hot weather pretty regularly. This time of year there’s usually a lot of water around on walks, so wouldn’t carry it unless going for a pretty long walk (3 hours).

 

[Keith_Beef]

I never used to take water when I was out walking my dog.

We'd go out for between four and six hours, but almost always along the river valley; the dog and I would drink from the same ochre water spring, get a half dozen eggs at the post office and share them, then walk home.

 

[dogatemysalad]

In winter, a couple of hours or so. In summer, in an unfamiliar area, I always carry water in case there isn't an accessible stream.

 

[Moobli]

I’m almost always near fresh water of some form so I don’t carry it. In particularly hot weather I always make sure to walk where there’s water for swimming and drinking. I do take water to the beach to try to avoid them drinking salty sea water and offer it on return to the car.

 

[Amun]

tbh I don't know, we always walked in the woods with plenty of water available so he could drink if he wanted ?

 

[Archangel]

I live in Wales. You are never far from water in Wales, most of the time it is falling out of the sky.
I do take water when we are down at the beach and we are there a few hours/it is a hot day.

 

[paisley]

Just out of curiousity as the above title says ...

Obviously factors such as heat etc would make a difference.

When I stop for a drink. Its complicated. Whippet previously refused to drink ever and acted as if you were attempting to waterboard him, now will accept water only from the lid of my water bottle.

So, I have to have one massive drink and then give him the rest, because although sharing is caring, dog dribble is not on my list of hydration ingredients

 

[JGC]

If we're walking in less than 15-17 degrees, probably about an hour. If we're running, usually every half an hour. The hotter it gets, the more frequently I offer. If we've been near a stream, I'll probably be ignored, but sometimes she surprises me by being thirsty, so I keep offering.

 

[Books'n'dogs]

To everyone saying they allow their dogs to drink 'wild' water, do you not have to worry about harmful bacteria in the water in the UK? I'm curious because it's a serious concern in Minnesota, I've known two people who lost dogs after allowing them to drink/swim in lakes here and my vet clinic sends weekly emails reminding people to be cautious about their dogs' exposure to lake and pond water during the warmer months.

 

[Amun]

To everyone saying they allow their dogs to drink 'wild' water, do you not have to worry about harmful bacteria in the water in the UK? I'm curious because it's a serious concern in Minnesota, I've known two people who lost dogs after allowing them to drink/swim in lakes here and my vet clinic sends weekly emails reminding people to be cautious about their dogs' exposure to lake and pond water during the warmer months.

Speaking for myself, I knew our area well and wild water was actually top quality (natural springs etc), not just dogs but even people drank the same water. Would never allow my dog to drink dirty water.

 

[Keith_Beef]

To everyone saying they allow their dogs to drink 'wild' water, do you not have to worry about harmful bacteria in the water in the UK? I'm curious because it's a serious concern in Minnesota, I've known two people who lost dogs after allowing them to drink/swim in lakes here and my vet clinic sends weekly emails reminding people to be cautious about their dogs' exposure to lake and pond water during the warmer months.

I wonder if the Minnesota warnings are because of the risk of ingesting cyanotoxins from cyanobacteria (algal blooms). I wouldn't worry about drinking from the ochre water spring that I mentioned above, because that water was known to be safe, and I wouldn't worry about cyanobacteria in fast flowing upland rivers and streams where the water temperature would probably never get over about 15°C - 16°C even in the height of summer.

I once asked the leader on a group three-day trek if she would allow her horses to drink from the Seine where it flows through our town, and she said she definitely would if there wasn't a more convenient source of water and the horses needed to drink.

Last summer I fished in that stretch of the Seine, and even though I didn't catch anything, I saw plenty of fish and birds (kingfishers, cormorants, swans, geese, gulls, dippers) and the water I was standing in up to mid calf looked very clean (and so warm, probably over 22°C). The water quality here has improved enormously over the past thirty years.

 

[splashgirl45]

i dont let mine drink from lakes or ponds only the river which is free flowing..thats where they swim as well in the summer

 

[Books'n'dogs]

Yes, the blue green algae blooms are what we have to worry about, almost every single body of water in my area is noticeably effected and we have to worry about the others because the blooms are dangerous before it's noticeable. The closest stretch of rivers get way too much boat traffic for it to be safe to allow dogs in unfortunately.

You are all lucky to live in areas that have clean water, Minnesota water has deteriorated to quite an alarming degree in the past 20 years, which is such a shame.

 

[Annette4]

For local walks I don't if I'm honest unless it's a really warm day and they're going to be running (they rarely go off lead locally).

For longer none local walks it depends on the heat but a certain brindle whippet won't drink out of the house without goats milk diluted in the water (I have trouble getting her to drink in the house at times too) so I tend to offer little and often.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

This time of year, I don't. We walk past a river on our normal walk but none of them are fussed on stopping for a drink.

In summer it's a different story. Even the one who doesn't like water is made to have a dip to cool down, however we do always walk very early so it's never too hot.

 

[ycbm]

To everyone saying they allow their dogs to drink 'wild' water, do you not have to worry about harmful bacteria in the water in the UK? I'm curious because it's a serious concern in Minnesota, I've known two people who lost dogs after allowing them to drink/swim in lakes here and my vet clinic sends weekly emails reminding people to be cautious about their dogs' exposure to lake and pond water during the warmer months.

There are blue/green algae warnings on many of the reservoirs here in the Peak District in summer.
.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I don't carry around dog water in Winter, the rest of the year it depends on the temperature of the day. But in general, even when I do take water with me, on sunny days when the temperature goes up above 20, 25°, I try to avoid walking them during the hours when the sun is at its warmest, e.g. I don't start a walk ar 12, or 13, unless it can't be avoided.
I also take into account where I walk, woods/forests are cooler than pavements without shade, and I try to adjust my walking speed to what suits the weather conditions.

The trouble is that only 1 of my bitches regularly drink when I offer them water out on walks. With the other 2 bitches, even when I've sometimes resorted to trying to spray the water into their mouths, they try to spit out most of it. The saying about bringing horses to water, but not being able to force them to drink, have crossed my mind more than once.

 

[Ranyhyn]

We'll run about 30 minutes (roughly 5km) before I offer water, its rarely taken though. Usually we run for up to an hour and he will choose not to drink (but it will have been offered)