rob190364 2,594 Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 My lurcher pup hardly ever drinks, I can take her out for a good couple of hours of decent running and she'll come back and either not drink or have literally a couple of laps of water. It doesn't seem to affect her but it's just wierd! I'm used to having a mastiff that would drink bloody gallons! Can't get my head around a dog that just doesn't drink. Her urine is quite a dark colour as if she's dehydrated but other than make sure she always has water what else can I do? I know she'll be getting moisture from her food (BARF), but surely she should be drinking? Even on hot days she drinks sod all! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bootsha 1,306 Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 When she's thirsty friend, she will drink, rest assured. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
steveS.Yorks 161 Posted September 7, 2011 Report Share Posted September 7, 2011 Worry when she constantly drinks mate,i doubt theres anything wrong with her at all,mines the same. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blue one 89 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Try a small drop of milk in the water. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,173 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 What are the water bowl/s made of? Some dogs are funny about drinking out of plastic bowls as the chemicals in plastic can taint the water. Others don't like drinking out of metal bowls which rattle or make a noise. I use a heavy pottery bowl. And scrub the bowl out well every day and rinse thoroughly so there's no washing up liquid residue on it. Does she drink from puddles etc when she's out? Also, if she has to share a water bowl with a dog that slobbers and leaves loads of saliva in the bowl, that can put a fussy dog off having to drink from the same bowl. Others just don't like the tap water in the area.Try her on rain water: that often helps. Or as an experiment, bottled spring water. Some dogs are very peculiar about drinking tap water which has been heavily treated: most tap water they reckon has been through at least 7 sets of kidneys not to mention the chemicals which are used to purify it at the water treatment works. And make sure that she has access to water when she's hot and been running: some of my dogs don't drink unless they're hot and panting a bit. Obviously not a good idea to let a dog drink loads and loads when its just had a long hard run and is mega panting. Failing all else, a drop of milk in the water as has already been suggested. Also add a drop of Recharge. Dark coloured urine isn't good, and the kidneys need plenty of fluid to flush out waste from the body. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Mine only seems to have one good drink a day.There's water available 24/7 for him & he'll have the odd few laps throughout the day, but he has his main drink about a half hour after he's fed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sandymere 8,263 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 It will likely drink what it needs, perhaps adding water to the food will add a little extra, in the warmer weather I put about a ¼ of a pint in a bowl and add a couple of biscuits and a teaspoon of veg or fish oil after the evening exercise. With pups just adding a little water to one of the daily meals will do the trick. This is given after they have been in a couple of mins so after what they drink when they first get back. After working I also mix an egg.. I feed in the mornings for those that feed in the eve then after morning exercise. With pups just adding a little water to one of the daily meals will do the trick. I’d avoid any salt solutions such as recharge as they could potentially make things worse, after all if it’s not peeing much it not going to be getting rid of lots of salt so adding more? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob190364 2,594 Posted September 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 What are the water bowl/s made of? Some dogs are funny about drinking out of plastic bowls as the chemicals in plastic can taint the water. Others don't like drinking out of metal bowls which rattle or make a noise. I use a heavy pottery bowl. And scrub the bowl out well every day and rinse thoroughly so there's no washing up liquid residue on it. Does she drink from puddles etc when she's out? Also, if she has to share a water bowl with a dog that slobbers and leaves loads of saliva in the bowl, that can put a fussy dog off having to drink from the same bowl. Others just don't like the tap water in the area.Try her on rain water: that often helps. Or as an experiment, bottled spring water. Some dogs are very peculiar about drinking tap water which has been heavily treated: most tap water they reckon has been through at least 7 sets of kidneys not to mention the chemicals which are used to purify it at the water treatment works. And make sure that she has access to water when she's hot and been running: some of my dogs don't drink unless they're hot and panting a bit. Obviously not a good idea to let a dog drink loads and loads when its just had a long hard run and is mega panting. Failing all else, a drop of milk in the water as has already been suggested. Also add a drop of Recharge. Dark coloured urine isn't good, and the kidneys need plenty of fluid to flush out waste from the body. No it's nothing to do with the bowl or the tap water because if I take her out for a long run and then we stop by the stream she'll hardly drink anything out of that either. I'll try a bit of milk in the water to see if that makes any difference. Seems a bit of a wierd problem to have to be honest.........if the milk doesn't work I'm not really sure what else to try. The only other thing I could do is to give her a small bowl of home made soup with just water, chicken and veg in it? I don't know if I'm worrying about nothing here, it's a wierd one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PoshPikey 560 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 My saluki x is just the same - be interested in the answers. i put it down to her being a desert dog. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,173 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 See what you mean Sandy Yes, that really didn't make a lot of sense what I wrote! Just add warm water to the food then. I wouldn't bother making a soup if the dog will eat sloppy food. I know a person who hardly drank at all, even when out all day walking hard with his day time dogs. If I remember rightly he said that he was aware he didn't drink enough, though didn't seem to feel the need. He's a super fit athletic type. I wonder if his pee is dark! Funnily enough my Airedale seldom drinks either, though she is nearly always out working near water, and has the odd lap as she's working: seldom drinks at home, doesn't pee buckets, but her urine isn't dark in colour at all. She's a hot, panting sort of dog, but it doesn't bother her, and she never dehydrates: that has always puzzled me a bit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sandymere 8,263 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Just a quick addition: the whole two litres a day stuff has little real science behind it, like most things a sensible amount of water for man and dog and don't stress about it to much.. Ps yes he will have dark pee lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bunnys 1,228 Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 has a young man had a whipp that only drank tea occasionally this dog just did not need to use fluids like most dogs he could run autumn hares in the heat much like some salukis and just bdid not seem to dehydrate and yes he caught on a regular basis ,he was fed solely household scraps there was no completes about back then.atb bunnys Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob190364 2,594 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Well I took my dog out on the lamp last night, it was very warm so we only ran three rabbits but walked for about an hour, when we came back she drank loads! First time I've seen her drink that much! Pee is still dark this morning though Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blue one 89 Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Well I took my dog out on the lamp last night, it was very warm so we only ran three rabbits but walked for about an hour, when we came back she drank loads! First time I've seen her drink that much! Pee is still dark this morning though http://www.greyhoundmegastore.com/dietary/vetsearch/recharge.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caravan Monster 323 Posted September 11, 2011 Report Share Posted September 11, 2011 My lurcher pup hardly ever drinks, I can take her out for a good couple of hours of decent running and she'll come back and either not drink or have literally a couple of laps of water. It doesn't seem to affect her but it's just wierd! The dog in my avatar, a lightly built 22" bitsa of some sort, has always behaved in the same manner. She would rarely want a drink after running and produce very dark urine. Other than some problems years ago with phantom pregnancies, she has lived a long and healthy life, with just the normal sprains, cuts and knocked up toes that most lurchers seem to collect. She has never seemed very aware of her body temperature, and will cook herself lying in the sun until exhausted unless I tell her to move. Daft as it sounds, I found that placing the water bowl under her nose would sometimes remind her to have a drink - she rarely seems to remember to go to the water bowl. Maybe she is just a bit spaced out and not very bright Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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