Water bottle question!

graficoartista31 · 03-09-2007, 10:59 AM

Hey...

I am trying to schedule water while I potty train my puppy and I have a question. When I put the puppy in his crate should I attach a waterbottle to it? Previously, i had not attached a bottle to the crate and he seemed to hold it just fine for 4-5 hours. When he was out of the crate, i would schedule water every hour right before we went out to potty. I started to feel bad that the dog didnt have any water while in the crate so i bought a water bottle. I figure the dog will have to learn to hold it if he drinks water. My concern is that he will drink the water int he crate, then have to pee sooner then the 4 hours which would set us back since he may learn he can't rely on me to take him out before the 4 hours. On the other hand, Maybe its a good thing so he learns, ok, the water is here but I can't go potty so im gonna wait. Let me know what you think! Iw as told no blankets in the crate since it soaks up the urine, but my pup wont sleep or laydown and be quiet without one. I don't blame him!

So here are my questions....

1) Water bottle in the crate during the day? Right now he goes out every 4 hours while in the crate but fear he may start to loose his control if he drinks...

2) When scheduling water, while outside of the crate, when should I give him the water? Right before we go out? Right after we get in? or a certain amount of time either way...before or after maybe 15 mins?

After I decided to schedule water, he has done miracoulsly better. Less accidents!

If i may... my other concern is this...

I may be moving 20 mins away from current location which is near a job i've been in the applying stage with. If i get this job and I win the house, I wont be able to let him out during the day. He will have to hold it for about 9 hours! How do i solve this delema? My b/f doesnt like the idea of him in a bathroom, or kitchen since he may naw on the cabinates. What should I do?!!!

MagicToller · 03-09-2007, 11:09 AM

Well, fresh water should be available to your puppy throughout the day. Housebraking and crate training will be bumpy at first, but if you are consistent with a schedule and you make it clear that outdoor elmination is what you want, it should not take to long and you won't compromise your puppie's health.

graficoartista31 · 03-09-2007, 12:17 PM

So its ok to put the water bottle on the crate? Ok. I am home right now working and I can hear him licking it so i hope he doesnt explode!

As far as the working distance and unability to come let the pup out before 8 hours, how do i handle that?

lurcherloopy · 03-09-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graficoartista31

So its ok to put the water bottle on the crate? Ok. I am home right now working and I can hear him licking it so i hope he doesnt explode!

As far as the working distance and unability to come let the pup out before 8 hours, how do i handle that?

Your dog really should have water available at all times that way he will learn to regulate his intake and not take in too much when it is available.

You will need to find someone to come in and let the guy out, walk and play or, from what I've read, doggy daycare is another option (we dont really have that in the UK) but 9 hours is far far to long to expect any dog to be on its own let alone expecting him to hold that long.

LoveLilly · 03-09-2007, 03:24 PM

If its the type of water bottle I am thinking about, he is not going to get the amount of water you think he would if he was drinking from a bowl. During Lilly's potty training she would get water during her morning mealtime...then when she went into the crate b/c we left for work I put an 1/8 cup of water in her little bowl....she got a break with her sitter 4-5 hours later & ate lunch so got water and then 1/8 cup water again in crate and then 5 hours later we got home from work and she got water all night long until 2 hours before bed and then none during the night. She is now almost 9 months old and no longer stays in her crate while we work. She has run of a very large kitchen and still has her sitter at lunch to give her a break. She has water available all day & has just learned how to hold it. Of course when we are not home she is not playing, mainly sleeping, so I think they naturally drink less.

chucky · 03-09-2007, 04:13 PM

pupies drink a lot, they grow,and can't hold it it for long yet, once the dog grows up, it will drink less, and hold longer, i rationed my dogs water, i'd give him water with food, and before we go outside, when he was small he could drink the whole bowl, now he doesn't nearly drinks as much, i fill the bowl in the morning, and it's good untill evening, than i add. if i forget, he reminds me, kicks the bowl. (it,s not only me traning him, he also trains me).
i don't think rationing water is a bad thing, to a certan point of course, i did it to all my dogs, and it works, and i never used cage.

graficoartista31 · 03-10-2007, 03:15 PM

So you all think it is wise to give the dog the water bottle in the crate while im gone? I agree. I can see how he would be forced to hold it and learn "I better not drink that or ill explode!".

Ont he other hand, no one touched base on the other question i had. When to give water when out of the crate? Some say to lift the water bowl up and only put it down when you want them to drink. Well that poses a tough one. When should they drink? Obviously during meal time... But when they are just hanging out, should they be allowed to drink RIGHT before we go out? 15 mins prior? Etc. (OR) The other option is to leave it down so they learn how to monitor their intake, but right now the pup can't hold it so if i left it down, id be chasing a water hose! The scheduling is working but i worry it wont teach him how to monitor his intake like the method in the crate does. He wont soil in his crate but he LOVES soiling in my house!

1.When is the best time to give water? 15 mins prior to outside? 15 mins after play? (meaning 15 after play and then a potty break 15 after water intake) or let him drink as im getting him ready to go outside? My older dog does this.. he knows he is going out so he fills up. If it let me puppy do this, i fear the fill up won't need to come out till 15 mins After we potty so its hard to tell. Obviously the water wont come out the moment we step outside so timing is everything. I gues im over analysing this cause he is doing fairl well, i just dont want to deprive my dog of water but at the same time keep him from filling up and peeing everywhere! Good thing is he isn't a gorder! He doesnt drinkt he whole bowl nor his entire bowl of foor..so this is good.

2. How often do i provide water? Morning, Lunch, Dinner, And after play?

lurcherloopy · 03-11-2007, 06:32 AM

Sorry but I think all dogs should have water available at all times, in fact its a legal requirement here. Your puppy will soon learn how to regulate himself. If he is forced to drink only at certain times he may start to overload when he can drink, if he is not allowed to drink when he needs to it can cause complications with kidney functions.

What will you do when you have to leave him for 9 hours a day?