"Should puppies have water at night?"

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If we're talking about the RSPCA and dogs sleeping in bedrooms, then unless they've changed their views they do not approve. Friend passed their rehoming check but her insistence that her dogs all slept upstairs with her on the bed was quite a sticking point. She did get the dog but the RSPCA weren't happy about the dogs sleeping on her bed. I 'think' it was about over dependence, but could be wrong on that.

We have a blanket no dogs upstairs policy - I've been roasted for that before. Cruel, apparently. Dogs sleep indoors and downstairs. Used to be just in the kitchen, but somehow the current JRT gets the run of the dining room as well. Not sure how she wangled that, but she's very happy down there.

We have never had dogs upstairs. And I found out why last summer, sister and I went to stay with relatives who live in a bungalow, taking the dogs with us. The 3 Labs were delighted to find that we were on the same floor as them. The yellow one couldn't bear the idea that either of us might be lonely, so she trailed the other 2 dogs from room to room every hour on the 1st night, fortunately on the 2nd night she realised that the resident dog was on his own in the living room and stayed with him. We all got far more sleep the 2nd night.

 

[Barton Bounty]

We have never had dogs upstairs. And I found out why last summer, sister and I went to stay with relatives who live in a bungalow, taking the dogs with us. The 3 Labs were delighted to find that we were on the same floor as them. The yellow one couldn't bear the idea that either of us might be lonely, so she trailed the other 2 dogs from room to room every hour on the 1st night, fortunately on the 2nd night she realised that the resident dog was on his own in the living room and stayed with him. We all got far more sleep the 2nd night.

That reminds me of the day I took over my new station and I thought, I could take the dog.. she cried at the door, wandered and just wouldn’t settle Didnt take her again

 

[Bellaboo18]

There's many different ways to do anything, I'm aware my way is not the only way. I'm however, chuffed/surprised that our puppy hasn't had one accident in the two weeks. I wouldn't think that was the case if we'd left her for the night.

 

[malwhit]

Witholding water for 7-8 hours or more is wrong. I would rather take a bit longer to house train a puppy and not force it to be clean at night.

The dogs sleep in my bedroom and I can sometimes hear one of the dogs going downstairs for a drink overnight, especially in the summer.

 

[Clodagh]

Witholding water for 7-8 hours or more is wrong. I would rather take a bit longer to house train a puppy and not force it to be clean at night.

The dogs sleep in my bedroom and I can sometimes hear one of the dogs going downstairs for a drink overnight, especially in the summer.

7-8 hours would indeed be very long, but I’m not sure anyone would leave a young pup in a cage that long?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

7-8 hours would indeed be very long, but I’m not sure anyone would leave a young pup in a cage that long?

You'd be surprised!

 

[DabDab]

7-8 hours would indeed be very long, but I’m not sure anyone would leave a young pup in a cage that long?

One of the posters involved when this thread got a little over-excited has indeed stated on a different thread that they were doing this with their puppy at night. In fact from the times they stated it was pushing on for more the 9-10 hour bracket

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'm honestly and genuinely so confused as to why some people have dogs!

 

[Jenko109]

7-8 hours would indeed be very long, but I’m not sure anyone would leave a young pup in a cage that long?

Quite. All of my puppies have needed at least one, more often two toilet breaks through the night

When I had my first puppy, she tried to get me up for the toilet and I ignored her. She got suddenly frantic and before I had managed to open the crate door, she had had a poo. To this day, I feel absolutely awful for doing that to her and this was some 18 years ago.

I vowed never to force a puppy to toilet in a crate again and I never have. To force an animal to toilet in its bed space is barbaric.

 

[Moobli]

Not sure if you’ve ever been around farm dogs but I have never seen one with a water bowl
They drink out of rivers and are in bed at night and yet the are beautifully healthy and happy
when let out of bed they immediately look for work not water bowls

Erm all of our farm dogs have water bowls.

 

[Moobli]

My dogs (house and kennel) always have access to fresh water. It would never occur to me to restrict it tbh.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Erm all of our farm dogs have water bowls.

Quite. I've worked on a few farms and not a single one didn't have free access to water for the dogs and livestock. Slightly horrifying to hear that that isn't a universal thing.

 

[scats]

I was thinking about this yesterday, because Millie used to knock her bucket of water over in her stable over night. It wouldn’t have entered my head to leave her without, so I had to come up with a way to keep it from being knocked over.

I wonder if I had told people on here I had decided to leave her without, what the reaction would have been?

I suppose you could argue that a dog would have less time without as they would likely not be going to bed until 11ish at night, whereas obviously a horse is generally finished off earlier, but I thought it interesting to see what peoples feelings would be about leaving a horse without?

 

[Clodagh]

I was thinking about this yesterday, because Millie used to knock her bucket of water over in her stable over night. It wouldn’t have entered my head to leave her without, so I had to come up with a way to keep it from being knocked over.

I wonder if I had told people on here I had decided to leave her without, what the reaction would have been?

I suppose you could argue that a dog would have less time without as they would likely not be going to bed until 11ish at night, whereas obviously a horse is generally finished off earlier, but I thought it interesting to see what peoples feelings would be about leaving a horse without?

It’s been discussed already.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I was thinking about this yesterday, because Millie used to knock her bucket of water over in her stable over night. It wouldn’t have entered my head to leave her without, so I had to come up with a way to keep it from being knocked over.

I wonder if I had told people on here I had decided to leave her without, what the reaction would have been?

I suppose you could argue that a dog would have less time without as they would likely not be going to bed until 11ish at night, whereas obviously a horse is generally finished off earlier, but I thought it interesting to see what peoples feelings would be about leaving a horse without?

You can't compare, different species. Horses eat most of the night, dogs sleep. It's like saying my dog is clean in the house overnight, why does my horse poo in his stable.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Horses and dogs both need free access to water. Horses are much more likely to drink through the night than dogs, but dogs still should have free access to water as per the PDSA guidelines.

ETA When I was feeding soaked hay, my horses barely touched their water buckets overnight. They still got fresh clean water every night.

 

[Goldenstar]

People just do things a bit differently I don’t see the issue of healthily adult dogs going to bed at just before midnight and getting up around six not having water in the bedroom .
I only have my dogs sleeping next to me in the room there’s lots of reasons I do that so it’s what I teach them .
I am not bothered that others do it in a different way .

 

[scats]

It’s been discussed already.

Sorry, I’ll admit I haven’t read every reply.

You can't compare, different species. Horses eat most of the night, dogs sleep. It's like saying my dog is clean in the house overnight, why does my horse poo in his stable.

Fair enough, but I think one thing that most species have in common is that they need water.
Anyway, just added it in as food for thought but see it’s already been discussed.

 

[skinnydipper]

What is the big problem with providing water? It doesn't matter if the dog doesn't drink it, it is there if needed. It's not an arduous task to fill a bowl with water.

 

[Goldenstar]

No it’s not its just not what I do I don’t put water in the bedroom apart from when they are crated puppies .

I do put water in hotel rooms when the dogs are travelling they don’t drink once we are in bed though .

 

[MurphysMinder]

Out of interest, over the last few days I have been closely watching the 2 dogs who sleep in my bedroom without access to water. From going up to bed , usually 10.30 /11 pm, they don't go to have a drink again until they come back from their morning walk, although they have access to water as soon as I get up. They are raw fed which does of course reduce the need for water, if I was feeding kibble I suspect they would drink more.
I know the title of this thread is regarding puppies having access to water, so to clarify , while my pups don't have water in their crate at first, they are let out during the night and offered a drink .

 

[poiuytrewq]

I always have a bowl of water down. I drink in the night and hate waking up having forgotten to take water with me.
The bowl guaranteed never gets touched over night though so I don’t think our current dogs would care really.
One is crated so he has a screw on bowl so it can’t get tipped in his bed. Again it’s never touched.

 

[windand rain]

Horses are different working horses were stalled without water they were watered before being fed which is why traditionally you were advised to leave an hour after feeding before watering. It had to do with cereals swelling in the gut too. They were led out to the trough morning noon and night then fed. It is the fairly modern use of loose boxes that changed it to ad lib water. No animal should be without access to water but traditionally they were thought not able to work or run on a belly fully of water

 

[Goldenstar]

Here’s another thing , I never allow my dogs to be given water in pubs or restaurants which some people do take personally but I dont ever ever let my dogs drink from a bowl that I have not washed.
It amazes me that people let their dogs do this .
I also worry about them spilling water on the carpet .
We where away at the high of that heatwave and I did take their bowl into the hotel bar in the evening and put it on a puppy pad to catch the drips ,I do that in the rooms as well .The bar manager knows us well we stay their twice a month atm was visibly surprised as I have always refused water in the past so had to explain to her why she was nice about and said she had never thought about passing infections in unwashed bowls .
I also want mine to work out that when travelling they need to drink at the car when I offer it or when we are in the room .

 

[Sandstone1]

The whole point is that water should be there if they want it. It does not matter if they are asleep or do not normally drink it it should be there if they need it. water is the most basic welfare need. I am shocked that people do not give water because the dog or pup might spill it. Even more shocked that they are shut in a crate for hours without water. Its really sad.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Not letting dogs drink from public bowls is just normal management.
Even though mine had her face in several puddles last night

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We don't let ours drink out of communal water bowls but we always take water with us in the car and let them drink out of the spring on our local walk.

 

[Clodagh]

I discourage mine from puddle drinking, or any still water sources. Never allow drinking from public bowls.
Out shooting if it’s hot I always offer water after each drive, if there isn’t a handy source. Walking on the moor I plan my walks around rivers and offer water back at the car.

 

[Gloi]

I was thinking about this yesterday, because Millie used to knock her bucket of water over in her stable over night. It wouldn’t have entered my head to leave her without, so I had to come up with a way to keep it from being knocked over.

I wonder if I had told people on here I had decided to leave her without, what the reaction would have been?

I suppose you could argue that a dog would have less time without as they would likely not be going to bed until 11ish at night, whereas obviously a horse is generally finished off earlier, but I thought it interesting to see what peoples feelings would be about leaving a horse without?

I have been to farms in the past where horses had no water in the stall but were led out to a stream twice a day to drink.
Long time ago, mind you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Dogs that sleep with their owners in a bedroom, but who are free to toddle off downstairs to drink if they want to, aren't the ones having access to water restricted. If they want a drink they can go and have one.

I don't let my dogs drink from publicly available dog water bowls, either. That is basic hygiene and infection control.

Apart from the blip where she got alarmed by having us pour water over her on hot days, oops, this is what she is happy to drink from out and about, and we take it everywhere with us. Fill it up, sling it over your shoulder and off you go.